Pitching target?

[Judd]

I was thinking of setting up a target for DD to pitch into when I am not around. Also currently I injured my catching arm so its really hard to catch for her and my wife refuses. Any negatives of pitching into a net or a sheet of plywood versus a live catcher?

[2bucketdad]

JUDD, we have used the catch nets with a batter on them, plywood, a fence, buckets, a tire, anything to keep them throwing...make sure dd knows and understands the importance of properly warming up before pitching and cooling down, when done and do not overlook the importance of using ice after a pitching workout.

[DonnieS]

>> Any negatives of pitching into a net or a sheet of plywood versus a live catcher? <<

Draw a target on the plywood, maybe a glove, maybe a picture of you. Another thing we used was a fence, (hurricane fence) where you spray paint a target and then your kid pitch into that target. A good one is that canvass catcher net with the strike zone pocket - you just need to have a bucket or more of good pitching balls. Then she has to throw and hit the strike zone. There is another catcher net with the strike zone listed and the various zones there with nets for each of them - low outside, low inside, etc.

[softball_parent]

You can use one of the larger orange cones with a net behind it. Put a softball on top of the cone and have her try to know it off. You can play a game where she does and initial number of times she was able to knock it off and then try to beat it. On the neat you can paint a square of different colors and call a color and have her try to hit it. My daughter when she was younger would pitch by herself off a cement wall with a tennis ball for practice. It was great because it rebounded right back to her. That was in 10U when she used the little ball.

[DonnieS]

>> You can play a game where she does and initial number of times she was able to knock it off and then try to beat it <<

Thats a great drill, i never thought of using a cone for it, we use a T and put the ball in the places we focus on - she knocks it off, great. When you start this, I would start them from what ever distance they have some success at. Then back them up - dont let them get comfortable at the closer distances - just keep moving them back until you get to your pitching distance.

[Judd]

great, I have some spare plywood and 2x4's. I know I can rig something