How To Pitch A Softball Video

Using several types of pitches can is important when pitching in softball. Learn some tips for throwing different pitches in this softball video.

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Fingers on seems
Use a spinner
Rotate wrist
Good rotation

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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 section, we are going to be talking about pitching, specifically spins. Today we have got [PH] Allie with us who is going to be showing us three different spins, the first one will be the fastball. In the fastball spin, she uses what we call a peel pitch. She is going to hold the ball four fingers across the seams and you are going to get all four seams on the spin in the same direction. Now a way to get the spin, we talked about how we grab money out of the hand. So her finish on the spin is going to be as if she has money in her hand and someone goes to grab it. That is going to be the finish, how the ball is going to be peeling off her fingers. I will take that money back. All right, we are just working on spins. As you see, she is nice and relaxed. She has got her feet should width apart, her knees slightly bent, head over heels and she is working on just focusing only on her hand and the spin. Four seams, she is grabbing the fingers coming towards her palm and a good snap. Now, sometimes we use a spinner. On a spinner, it forces you to do the spin the correct way. We are going to show you on the spinner, she is holding again as if she is holding against the four seams, and she is going to snap it, and you are going to see that spinner comes off on the correct rotation. If the pitcher does not have the correct rotation, the spinner will go flat on her. This way you are seeing a good, solid snap, good finish, fingers towards the palm. Good. Now on the drop ball, Allie's drop ball she throws two different ways. One is her peel drop, again, she uses the same form, same fashion with the good snap, and the other one is the turnover, which is she is going to show as a snap. When she turns over, her hand is going to go over the ball and actually have a nice, strong rotation with her fingers going towards the ground or towards her inner thigh. So we are going to do just a couple snaps. Good. And see it is coming out almost on the back side of her hand, good snap and good finish, rolling the ball over on top. Nice. And now with the spinner, same rotation. Nice spin. Good. Come on over the top. Good. Those are basics for the fast and the drop ball. Now, we go quick with the rise. On the rise and the rotation, you want to get a nice long arm. You want to think about dragging your knuckles on the ground. Again, she is looking at a different type of seam. She is actually going on with two seams on there with one knuckle finger. This way she is going to be able to have her palm up towards the sky and get a good rotation on the ball, the rotation then is going to be a 12 or 6 rotation. Just throw a couple. Good. Again, her arms are going to stay in tight to her side. She has got a nice palm up, a good finish. Good. Good rotation. Now she is going to do the same thing with the spinner. Good. Arms staying tight on the side, dragging those knuckles, and good rotation. Those are the basic spins for the fastball, drop and rise.

How to Pitch a Softball Video

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