When it comes to coaching girls, what makes you different and what unique approach do you bring to the table?
Being a player and a coach at this sport at all levels I believe gives me an advantage over those that haven’t been through it. I understand the emotional aspect as well as the physical aspect of the game that cannot be taught, unless you have been on the dirt yourself. As a coach I want my players to see me as a positive figure, someone who is on their side and that I’ve been in their shoes and understand what they are going through. I believe that it’s important for them to have positive reinforcement and to remind them that they are supposed to be having fun. It is hard work but watching players succeed is a greater reward than anything that a coach could give them.
Courtney, could you comment on your philosophy for long-term success as an athlete.
As a coach I want to teach them the importance of taking care of themselves on and off the field especially when it comes to taking care and preventing injury. I have played softball, soccer and ice hockey since I was 8 years old and I understand the wear and tear that your body under goes on a regular basis. Small injuries and bumps and bruises are bound to happen, that’s all part of the game. Preventing the big injuries and ways to maintain long term health are what I always try to instill in my players.
Can you give an example of what you mean?
Well, for example in pitching, I believe that by teaching proper techniques, and explaining why your body should be positioned during all points of the pitch, allows players and parents to understand how things such as landing a few inches off, leading with your elbow and muscling through pitches can really have a detrimental effect on your body.
It takes a combination of hard work, sacrifice, determination, mental and physical toughness in order to be at the highest level of your sport.. It is not an easy position, and a lot of the frustration comes from the fact that as a pitcher you are working towards perfection, and no one is perfect. It’s a high pressure position and at advanced levels, things like missing your target by an inch mean the difference between a championship or not.
Talking about long-term pitching success, what is the one thing that will make the greatest difference in a player’s success?
I get asked a lot on how to make pitchers more accurate and how to gain more speed. In order to be accurate and to continuously gain speed is to start off at the basics. Do you have the right mechanics? Without this there is no way that the individual will reach their maximum potential no matter how strong they are for their age. Once they have the basic mechanics down, and can consistently repeat the same motion hitting the target, then we add speed.
I’m sorry, Courtney. I’m laughing because I think you hit a sensitive spot. You’re talking about getting the proper mechanics first, and then add speed. What do you explain to your players, their parents and their coaches about the importance of delaying speed until they get the proper form first? They want results now, especially if they are in season.
The problem with improper mechanics is that each time a player repeats that motion they are training their nervous system and muscular system to move improperly; as that wrong motion becomes more and more ingrained, they reach a point of altered “natural” perception. In other words, their body “feels” this wrong motion is right. This is especially true with girls who have had some pitching success (with the incorrect form. Often times it’s because they are physically stronger or more athletic than their peers at the time). The more often they repeat a throw with incorrect form the more difficult it is for them to make future corrections. Although girls can make great progress after a few lessons, research in movement science suggests (and my experience supports) that it takes at least 3 to 8 weeks of working consistently with proper mechanics before something “feels” natural. I understand the pressure to win, especially in season. But what we need to keep in mind is what is the best interest of a player as she continues to improve and reach her full potential – we need to get those basics right.
Ok. Let’s get back to speed.
Speeding up the arm motion, pushing off and driving through with legs and hips, all with proper release and hard wrist snap together at the right moment, is when you will start seeing an increase in speed. Now when you put all these things together: consistent correct mechanics and body position, along with correct timing, explosiveness and consistent speed – this is what will give you the accuracy of your pitches. This does not happen overnight, you have to stay determined and patient.
Once you have mastered this with the fast ball, we start having fun learning all the other pitches.
The pitches that I teach are: Fast, Change, Curve, Screw, Rise, Drop, Curve Rise, Drop curve, Off-speed, Drop change. All these pitches can be taught to hit anywhere in the strike zone, and can be thrown in any combination.
That sounds good. Can you speak about the mental aspect of the game?
Yes. I’m glad you asked. Equally important as physical preparation is the mental game. You have to always be in charge and never let anything bother you. There is no time to dwell on mistakes, u have to block out other fans, teams and coaches, because 10 seconds later you have to throw another pitch. I tell my players, “Don’t worry. The more you get the other team to talk, the more you’re getting to them” J.
Something that I start to teach my more advanced players is to start learning batters and working the count. By remembering their at bats, watching their swings, stance, and placement in the box, gives them clear hints on which pitches will fool and be difficult for the batter to make solid contact with and which ones they should stay away from.
What I’ve learned is that pitchers and catchers are unique. They tend to have a different work ethic, personality and attitude compared to their teammates (more noticeable the younger they are). I like to teach players of all ages and all levels, as long as they are willing to learn.
Above all, when I work with players, I want all my students to enjoy playing, and to leave our lessons feeling confident in their abilities.
Courtney has joined the Softball Staff at Boost Baseball and is a welcome addition. Courtney is currently available for private lessons and group lessons and clinics. Email Sam at siturrino@boostbaseball.com for further information.
