Keys

• We don’t pitch from full distance (pitch from short distance).
• Pitch off a knee using a ‘dart’ throwing action, not a ‘full arm circle‘.
• Utilize repetitions in practicing the skill.

It is the responsibility of the coach/manager pitcher to provide good pitches to swing at during live work. Live work includes soft toss and short front toss. Batters need good pitches to swing at in order to improve their skills. We coaches must recognize that ‘Batting Practice’ is actually ‘Swing Practice’.

Important: throw firm, level pitches. Slow arcing pitches are harder to hit. Kids can hit balls pitched with a little bit of velocity when they use their Legs and they incorporate the necessary habit of Loading when hitting.

If we are going to miss with a pitch, we want to miss low rather than high. The natural path of the hands in the swing is down into the strike zone. Swinging at a low pitch follows the natural swing path. Swinging at pitches that are too high is contrary to the fundamentals of a good swing.

Start pitches off level at armpit height (top of the strike zone) and allow gravity to pull the pitch down into the middle of the strike zone. This way, no pitch arrives to a batter above the strike zone.

Note: It is understood that not every coach/parent has the time to practice, or ability to throw, a high percentage of strikes for live batting.

The most important part of batting practice is, ‘batters getting a high percentage of good pitches to swing at’.

During Coach Pitch Games, it is strongly encouraged to have coaches pitch the same way as described above for throwing batting practice. Point out that when a lot of poor pitches are thrown, the kids in the field, the batters waiting their turn are doing nothing.