Increase Your Pitcher’s Movement With This 3 Ball Drill

By: Cindy Bristow

Provided by: Softball Excellence

Are you trying to help your pitchers get more movement and just can't come up with anything? I've got the drill for you!

Use this challenging drill to improve your pitcher's spin and movement.

Increasing pitch movement can be a challenge. It seems like pitchers practice endless spins and snaps only to struggle making their pitches move consistently. If this sounds familiar then you're in luck, because I have a drill that will really "wake up" how your pitcher's fingers talk to the ball.

Movement is caused by the direction a pitcher twists a ball as she releases it, and the better her finger pressure during her release, the stronger and faster her twist. If you're looking to increase your pitcher's finger pressure you'll need to start by helping them wake it up.

Here's how it works:

• Use 3 very different sized balls. I use our 14" Training Softball, a regular softball and a Zip BallTM.
• After your pitcher warms up normally, from the pitching rubber have her alternate throwing each of the 3 different sized balls – one after the other.
• Because they're all so drastically different in size, it will really challenge her to use her grip and hand specifically for each ball. She'll need far more pressure and push with the 14" ball than she will the Zip BallTM, but that's the whole point – to engage and challenge the pitcher's focus on every single pitch.
• Remind your pitcher (and probably yourself) that this is not a drill about perfect control. It'll take your pitcher a few pitches before she makes the right adjustment on each ball. Instead of getting frustrated, let the size and the weight of the ball tell your pitcher how much finger pressure and push she needs to control the ball.
• After she throws 5-10 fastballs with each ball, have your pitcher try her changeup. Eventually, she can throw all of her pitches alternating all 3 balls.