This information is for the female softball pitcher who has been pitching competitively for several years... you have at least a 53mph to 60mph pitching speed, have good control, and have two or more pitches in addition to your fastball.  These recommendations and hints are from Colorado Softball Pitching Instructor GERALD WARNER and are based on questions and E-mails received from visitors to this website.

Topics are updated regularly, so re-visit this website often.
 

CURRENT TOPICS FOR ADVANCED PITCHERS

OUTDATED PITCHING RULES NEED TO BE CHANGED - An opinion
The image and reputation of softball, not just in the U.S. but around the world, has been tarnished by the dramatic increase in the number of illegal pitch calls recently, for the most part caused by the "leaping" violation...not keeping the rear foot in contact with the ground until the forward / stride foot lands.  In many cases, the calls were confusing to the pitcher, her coach, and in the case of televised games, even the announcers... (click here for full article)

Three Essentials for Fast Pitches
There are three primary phases of the pitching sequence that contribute to the speed and control of the pitch.  These are the common elements of virtually every high-velocity pitcher.  Many sequence photos in this article were selected at random from an analysis of pitchers... (click here for full article)

Make Your Movement Pitches Break Better
Many of the questions we receive from visitors to this website are from pitchers who are trying to improve the effectiveness of their breaking pitches…drop balls, rise balls, curves, and screw balls.   Below is a recent e-mail we received from a high school pitcher, and our response... (click here for full article)

The Return of the Faster, MUCH Faster Fastball
An increasing number of 16, 17, and 18-year old college hopefuls are finding that college coaches do NOT feel that they are ready to pitch at the college level.   An ideal pitching candidate for most NCAA Division I and Division II colleges and universities needs to have... (click here for full article)

Rise Ball Secrets
Just because a pitcher releases the ball low and throws it high on the batter doesn't mean it is a rise ball.  A rise ball does just as the name implies…it actually RISES.  It takes SPEED and SPIN to make a ball rise.  Many pitchers who think they have a good rise ball are either: (1) dipping down and throwing a high fast ball,  (2) throwing with a correct rise ball release, but without good speed, or (3) have been taught the grip and release for a rise ball and think that’s all it takes... (click here for full article)

Does a Rise Ball REALLY Rise?
There has long been differing opinions between fastpitch softball players vs. die-hard students of physics and aerodynamics as to whether a properly thrown rise ball can overcome the gravitational force trying to pull it toward the ground, enough to really RISE... (click here for full article)

Avoid Pitching Injuries - The Top-10 List of What NOT to Do
Softball pitchers…even those with years of experience…often develop (or were even taught) incorrect pitching mechanics.   Some can become successful.  However, the majority don’t reach their maximum potential, and a large percentage end up with short-term, or even career-ending, pitching injuries.  If you are doing any of these 10 things, find a way to stop it... (click here for full article)

Want More Speed?  "Finish" the Pitch"
A leaping-style pitcher must have a strong, fast push-off from the pitching rubber in order to drive her stride leg out fast and far.  Then the power, speed, and landing of the stride determines how effectively the pitcher can push back against her stride leg to give her the resistance for a hard final arm “whip” to throw the ball with maximum speed... (click here for full article)

Increase the Speed of Your Fastball
We feel that this list is the best compilation of recommendations and potential practices for a pitcher who wants to increase the speed of her fastball.  Here are the drills, refinements, and modifications that we encourage a pitcher to use to increase her pitching speed... (click here for full article)

What Pitch to Throw...And When
The selection of the pitch and the intended placement should be based on the situation and what you would like to have as the outcome.  However, there are some recommendations based on the conventional wisdom of experienced pitchers and coaches…what usually works in typical circumstances... (click here for full article)

How to Correct LOW (and INSIDE) Pitches
We receive many questions regarding control of pitches…and the most frequent is correcting the problem of consistently throwing low, or low and inside.  It’s a problem that is pretty typical for younger girls...and sometimes even those who are more experienced.  When a pitcher throws pitches inside to a same-side batter, it is likely one or more of the problems... (click here for full article)

How to Correct HIGH Pitches
As we mentioned elsewhere on this website, we get many questions regarding control of pitches.  And many involve a pitcher who has a problem releasing the ball late…which causes the pitch to go high.  Like throwing too many low and inside pitches, throwing high is a pretty common problem for younger girls...and sometimes even those who with considerable pitching experience.   Finding the cause, and then correcting it, is the key... (click here for full article)

How to Create a Striped Ball
A striped softball is an excellent tool to assist a pitcher with making certain that she has  (a) the correct rotation and (b) the maximum spin speed on her breaking pitches.   If you are highly intelligent, have very good athleticism, and are skilled in freehand art, then you too can create a striped softball.   Otherwise, you can get a 12-year old to do it for you.  Seriously though, this is one of the best tools for a pitcher who is constantly trying to improve her drop, curve, screw, and rise balls.   (click here for full article)

Throwing the Screw Ball - the "Intimidator"
The screw ball hooks in the opposite direction of a pitcher’s curve ball, which means for a right handed pitcher, it curves to the right (obviously, for a lefty a screw curves to the left).  Typically, the screw is thrown to a same-sided batter up and on the inside corner… (click here for full article)

Every Pitch...Even a Fastball...Has an Arc
FAST BALL - Even though a 60 mph fastball seems like it is coming in on a pretty level line, it goes up...then down...as much as 8 inches in the time that it takes to get from the pitcher's hand to the plate. RISE BALL - A rise, even thrown at 60 mph has to has enough spin to overcome an 8-inch gravity-induced arc...JUST TO LEVEL OUT!    The release and speed of the spin has to be even better to make it hop over the bat.
CHANGE-UP - We have seen a majority of pitchers throwing their change-up too fast, because they (or their coach) wanted the ball to come in on a level line.   Obviously, we do NOT advocate a huge arc on a change-up (that's what slow-pitch softball pitching is all about)... (click here for full article)

The Drop Ball - Part II - The "Snapover" Drop
The "snapover" (sometimes called the "rollover" or "over-the-top") drop is usually reserved for those pitchers who have physically developed sufficiently so that their wrist movement can accomplish the rapid snap "over the top" of the ball at the precise instant it is being released.  Therefore, as a general rule, for younger pitchers (pre-teenagers), we teach the "peel" method of throwing a drop ball.   For those whose coordination and athleticism warrant it, we move to the rollover  release... (click here for full article)

Throw Faster by Using a Good "Body Lean"
At the start of the pitching sequence when throwing a fastball, a typical "leap-and-drag" pitcher starts a transfer of her weight from her rear leg to her front "push-off" leg to give a strong push against the pitching rubber with her pitching-side foot.   Although often not emphasized by pitching coaches, this is the start of a series of events…all of which happen in less than half-of-a-second…that determine the ultimate speed and placement of the pitch... (click here for full article)

An Indoor Drill to Increase Your Pitching Speed
We have found that the most beneficial speed-increasing drill for softball pitchers is one that can be done at home…and it is a simple one to set up.  It involves hanging a remnant piece of carpeting (or an old rug, or even a heavy tarp) from a joist in the ceiling of a basement... (click here for full article)

Recent E-mailed Questions and Recommendations
Each week we receive e-mails and telephone calls from visitors to this website.  We would appreciate hearing from you, too, on any question or recommendation relating to girls fastpitch softball pitching.   Click here for Recently-received Questions and Recommendations...and our replies.