How To Fast-pitch In Softball Video

It's helpful to use your whole body when pitching in softball. Learn some tips towards throwing faster strikes in this softball video.

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Superman
Hands fly in front of you
Get a good Kick
Arm moves forward

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Renee Luers-Gillispie is in her seventh year at the helm of the UCF softball program in 2007-08. Gillispie started the program in 2002 and has already led the team to an appearance in the NCAA Regional Tournament. Prior to UCF, Gillispie spent four years building the Texas Tech program. She led the Red Raiders to a No. 17 national ranking in 1998 and a No. 24 ranking the following season. In addition to her successful career at Texas Tech, Gillispie rebuilt softball programs at Bradley University and Joliet Junior College. In addition to coaching at the collegiate level, Gillispie has served as an international speaker for the Italian Softball and Baseball Federation Coaches Convention and also traveled to Athens, Greece as a guest coach for the Greek National Team in 2001.While she directs her own softball camps and clinics, she has also worked as an instructor with the Griffey International Gold Medal Camp and Higher Ground Camps and Clinics under British National Coach Bobby Simpson.

RENEE LUERS-GILLISPIE: In this segment today, we're going to be talking about pitching. We're going to be talking about how to get the drive off the mound. An easy way to talk with kids on the drive off the mound is the thing about Superman. When you think about Superman, you think about how you want to fly with Superman. So your first motion is going to be your hands flying out in front of you. The second phase is to kick the bad guy. You're getting a leg up. You're going to get a good kick and you're kicking the bad guy, and then you finish with a good punch to the bad guy. So think about the Superman. Again, you're flying with him, get a kick to the bad guy and a punch. Good. Okay, another way when you're driving off the mound is to use the alphabet. K-T-I is what we use. We want our pitcher to get into a good K-position which just means she's going to drive out that front leg, she's going to balance and she's going to get herself in a K-position. Then she's going to land that front foot to a T-position. Now, she's got good balance. You want her to be in that athletic position when she gets to this position. And then to "I" which means she's bring everything back together. Good. Let's go one more time. With her K, T, I. Good, good. So two things to think about when you're driving off the mound, think about Superman and K-T-I using the alphabet. This will give you a good drive off the mound. Again, we want a good balance position coming off with that front leg into a K-position or a Superman position to our "I" position, which is very solid, to finish strong with your follow through. Let's go through just a couple of steps here to show them all together. The K-T and I, good. One more time. Now notice she's nice and smooth. Her shoulders stay level; her head stays over her feet. Good and she's nice and strong with her finish. Okay, to put the Superman and the K-T-I together, we want to see a nice, fluid motion: head over shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over feet. When you're driving out, you want to make sure that she maintains that level. Make sure that the shoulders are level throughout your swing. Let's do a couple. Your K, T and I. Good, let's go one more. Nice, tall, strong, good. And that's your basics to driving off the mound for pitching.

How to Fast-Pitch in Softball Video

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