Pitching Wrist Bands

[C77fastpitch]

Enough with those pitching wrist bands! It's hilarious to me to watch teams with young inexperienced pitchers wearing wrist bands signaling varies pitches and their location. What pitches? These kids have a hard enough time throwing strikes. A mother of a 10u pitcher told me that her daughter, one wearing a wrist band, had control of five separate moving pitches. I didn't say anything, but after watching her daughter pitch for awhile, I was convinced she had no working movement pitches. In fact she struggled with control, and demonstrated a lack of even reasonably good pitching mechanics. I'm afraid this young lady is not the exception, but the rule. I believe the wrist band is not only unnecessary, but acts as a hindrance in the development of young and inexperience pitchers.

[swells9232]

This is a much bigger problem than wrist bands. The fact that a 10U parent says their DD has 5 pitches is the main problem. At the college level you don't see pitchers with command of 5 pitches. Most pitchers are known for "their pitch" be it a drop ball pitcher, rise pitcher, etc... and supplement with other pitches. But kids are being taught at a much younger age that in order to be looked at they have to command too many pitches. This is unrealistic and is probably being fueled by the pitching coaches that are being pressured by that DD parent who thinks little DD has to have 5 pitches. If pitching coach doesn't teach the 5 (or so) pitches, then DD parent finds someone who will.

Wrist bands have a place in softball, IMHO, I think they are very effective on offense. Wrist bands are not the problem, just a tool, but are used on defense ineffectively and unrealistically.

[Sam]

This is a much bigger problem than wrist bands. The fact that a 10U parent says their DD has 5 pitches is the main problem. At the college level you don't see pitchers with command of 5 pitches. Most pitchers are known for "their pitch" be it a drop ball pitcher, rise pitcher, etc... and supplement with other pitches. But kids are being taught at a much younger age that in order to be looked at they have to command too many pitches. This is unrealistic and is probably being fueled by the pitching coaches that are being pressured by that DD parent who thinks little DD has to have 5 pitches. If pitching coach doesn't teach the 5 (or so) pitches, then DD parent finds someone who will.

Wrist bands have a place in softball, IMHO, I think they are very effective on offense. Wrist bands are not the problem, just a tool, but are used on defense ineffectively and unrealistically.

Nothing wrong with a 10U pitcher throwing 5 pitches. How are they going to learn which 2 or 3 pitches they can command unless they throw all that they are being taught? Would you teach a 4th grader only Math and English?

[eddiez577]

To Swells point, the arm band is a tool, much like a face mask, bat weight ring, or a dugout organizer. Softball is a complicated sport that doesn't live off the longball alone, so whatever tool you can use to up your competitor, by all means use it. I have my 14u team use them to prep the fielders for the likeliness that a ball is hit to them, specific 1st & 3rd defenses, backdoor plays, and offense plays. I keep the numbers simple, and throw in colors so that no time is wasted between pitches.

[C77fastpitch]

Sam- Whats wrong with a 10u pitcher learning 5 pitches? Well, I guess that statement speaks for itself!! Would I teach a fourth grader math and English alone, no, Why not- Artistic Strategies to get Progressive Revenue. The wrist bands help 10u teams set up defensive strategies? Wow! You must know some real softball savvy 10u players. Very interesting comments, thanks.

[Sam]

Sam- Whats wrong with a 10u pitcher learning 5 pitches? Well, I guess that statement speaks for itself!! Would I teach a fourth grader math and English alone, no, Why not- Artistic Strategies to get Progressive Revenue. The wrist bands help 10u teams set up defensive strategies? Wow! You must know some real softball savvy 10u players. Very interesting comments, thanks.

I coached a 10U team that finished 5th at ASA Nationals in 2000. Maybe kids have gotten stupid since then.

[Chin Music]

Or coaches have become more creative

[Sam]

Or coaches have become more creative

Dumbing the sport down is creative......OK.

[Chin Music]

Dumbing the sport down is creative......OK.[/quote]

Stuck in past not willing to accept the growth of the sport .......OK.

[C77fastpitch]

Faulty understanding of basic physiology and physics relating to softball pitching exacerbates a conventional wisdom that spreads and permeates through out travel softball. Things that most coaches think and say are not researched or based in fact. The simple truth is that a well placed fastball is the best pitch in softball, followed closely by an outstanding change up. A softball just doesn't move like most coaches think it does. Screwballs and curves are merely slanted, and the rise doesn't jump. That's not to say these these pitches won't work if delivered with stealth and speed. Pitchers should first train to deliver their fastball and change-up in a smooth deliberate sequential manner, that is both safe and simple. Forcing beginning pitcher to hit locations, especially with pitches that are not needed, only contribute to a lose of speed and confidence. Pitchers should train on things that really work, and not conventional wisdom that doesn't work. Wristbands are a popular conventional wisdom, that is a monkey see monkey do phenomenon. How did any of the greats of the past participate without wristbands? I think that wristbands are really a convenient way for a lot of coaches to be noticed. (No disrespect intended)