Softball teams will go as far as their pitchers take them. Pitching is such an important part of the game. The bases are closer together and the game is faster than baseball. The margin of error for pitchers is shrinking every year as players get stronger and bats get hotter. The velocity needed to be a Division 1 pitcher has only gone up over the years. And nothing is suggesting that is going to change soon. So what should you do if your player is planning on pitching?

Find a pitching coach. And to be honest, we need more of them. There are great pitching coaches online, but in person, pitching can be so much more effective. Regardless of whether you choose an in-person pitching coach or an online coach, the goal is to find a good one.

Benefits of hiring a pitching coach

First, let's start with why pitching coaches are so important to young players. Lessons with pitching coaches are the key to building a pitcher's foundational understanding of pitching mechanics. Pitching coaches also spend a lot of time helping players translate the things they work on in practice and apply them to 'in-game' scenarios.

Proper pitching mechanics can, should, and will lead to better velocity. Proper mechanics should also improve the command of pitches by building muscle memory. Efficiency. Efficiency. Efficiency. A good pitching coach teaches a pitcher to use their body as efficiently as possible so they can maximize their performances.

Pitching coaches will help you increase your velocity, command, and game performance.

Necessary Equipment

Pitching Toe

The volume of pitches your player throws will increase exceptionally. And the damage that turf or clay does to a regular running shoe or cleat is significant. We recently surveyed a list of first-time customers of Ringor who bought a turf with pitching toe or a metal spike with pitching toe. 100% of the Ringor customers we interviewed purchased a shoe with pitching toe after their daughter started taking pitching lessons.

Moving to travel ball was the other significant event that required players to up their shoe game and purchase Ringors. Many of their players did not start wearing out cleats until they started playing travel ball. And it makes sense. As a player moves to travel ball, and into higher levels of travel ball, the number of games and practices just increases. They'll need turfs and cleats that can hold up under all of that stress.

Click on the link below to shop our pitching toes.

https://ringor.com/buy-pitching-toe/

Pitching Mats/Pitching Screens

Practice. At some point, except for the lucky few who can play all year round outside, pitchers who hire pitching coaches are going to need a pitching mat and a pitching screen to get that practice in. Pitching coaches are great resources, but at the end of the day, players have to put in the work to improve. There will be cold, rainy days that make pitching outside unbearable. Access to pitching mats and pitching screens will allow her to continue to perfect her craft even if it's rainy outside.

Becoming an A-Level Pitcher

What is an A-Level Pitcher? The debate rages in stands around the country. Here is one person’s take from JJsqueeze from the “What constitutes an A, B or C Level Pitcher at the 14/13U Age Group?” thread found on discussfastpitch.com.

A = 59+, Fastball, Changeup, great accuracy, and at least one good Breaking pitch (drop, curve, rise, etc) or B but can bend it

B = 55+, Fastball, Changeup, great accuracy OR A but with just good accuracy

C = 50+, Fastball, good accuracy or A but pretty wild and gets into trouble but strikes her way out of it sometimes or B but with ok accuracy

We loved this definition. But you might not. The bottom line is however you feel the best way to define a top pitcher in travel ball, your player is going to have to put in the work. Pitching coaches are there to help and guide the player. Pitching coaches can do a lot of things, but they can't throw the pitches for her.

It will be easier to reach these measurable results (and any others you might have in mind) with a pitching coach.

Click on the link below to shop our pitching toes.

https://ringor.com/buy-pitching-toe/