ASA Softball: ACE Coaching Manual - Pitching Part 2 (Arm Swing)

III. Initial Arm Swing


 Softball player beginning a pitch.
Figure 2
  • To start the arm motion push, the glove with the ball being gripped by the throwing hand, down and slightly back on the throwing side of the body. This will enhance the pivot of the throwing side foot.
  • The shoulders should follow the glove down and back turning slightly to also enhance the pivot. Weight should transfer back to the inside of throwing side foot. (Figure 2)
  • The glove serves as a guide to the arm so it can stay on one of two lines of force . The first line of force (LOF1) is the line that is created by the completion of the pivot when the front foot lands. That line is created by drawing a line from the front of the back foot to the target. The second line of force (LOF2) is the line drawn from the release point to the target. Both lines will be close to parallel. LOF2 will be slightly outside LOF1, but thy will both meet at the target.
  • Ideally, we want to start the arm swing forward as the pivot foot begins to turn and our body begins to “open” to the target. As our arm begins to move forward we want to keep the ball in our glove as long as “naturally” possible. This will hide the ball as long as possible to the hitter.
  • When the front foot lands (at around a 45 degree angle), the arm has completed a circle like motion over the top on the throwing side of our body. The elbow and wrist have led us up and over.
    Our arm position should be close to the parallel to the ground and our palm should be faced slightly
    away from our body pointed the same was as our chest. Our glove hand should also be parallel
    with the glove pointed at the target, palm also facing away. Our shoulders should be on LOF2
    creating a ball path in front of our hips, knees and chin. Our hips, knees, and chin should be of LOF1.

Softball pitcher with proper leg positioning.
Figure 3

IV. Legs

  • The instep of the back foot initiates the drive forward for transfer of weight from the back foot (leg) toward the front foot (leg). (Figure 3)
  • The front knee (stride leg) lands flexed, but firms up as the weight transfers from the back leg to the front leg.
  • The hips should finish square to the plate after releasing the ball, with the follow-through into a good fielding position.
  • The shoulders and upper body finish tall with the shoulders finishing square with plate. (Figure 4)

V. Arms - Downswing

  • On the downswing , maintain a long (not locked) lever (extension) on the downward path. (Figure 3)
  • A cocked wrist on approach to the release point allows for a maximum wrist snap.(Figure 3)
  • The wrist snap and release of the ball occurs between 7:00 and 5:00 (pitcher is the clock).

    		• Softball player "snap" releasing a pitch.
    Figure 4
  • The ball rolls off the middle finger (LOF).
  • The hand and arm finish out and up (longer lever), remaining loose and relaxed.
  • The follow-through continues in direction of the ball on the LOF.
  • Short-arming (tight “v” with elbow) decreases the length of the lever (arm) and creates tension, therefore decreasing speed.
  • When the arm circle takes away from the path of a perfect circle, or, leads a different direction (away from LOF), it will detract from solid fundamentals and adversely affect the pitch

VI. Snap/Release

  • The pitcher releases the ball with their hand facing the catcher (imagine there is a dot in the middle of the hand, and as the pitcher releases the ball the dot on will face the catcher).
  • The wrist snap should produce 6-12 or 5-11:00 spin - determined by hand size and flexibility.
  • Relaxed shoulders – meaning they will be slightly rolled forward (slumping) which will facilitate a smooth transition from snap to release to follow through.

NOTE: It is very important to teach your pitchers that the ball will go where their hand is pointing when they
let go of it. While it sounds simple, it’s the key to your pitcher’s control.

If they can learn this simple principle they can make adjustments immediately following a bad pitch:

  • If the pitch is too high, they should let go of the ball sooner.
  • If the pitch is too low, they should hold on to the ball longer.


Most pitches will go high at first and the pitcher’s natural reaction will be to throw slower. Instead, just teach
your pitcher to “let go sooner, don’t pitch slower!”

Summary

The simple wording pitching summary, that all of your pitchers should know and be able to repeat is:

  • Step (toward the target)
  • Swing (arm toward the target)
  • Land (with glove foot in-line to the target)
  • Release (with ball hand facing the target)