From Miranda, 17, Sacramento, CA
"My pitching coach taught be to throw a rise ball 2 years ago, but it doesn't spin in the direction that you show on your website, and it doesn't really move.  And she tells me to keep my weight forward, not back.  Do you have any pictures of someone releasing a rise ball with a good form?"
Sure, these should help:

This is a pretty "classic" release: weight back, shoulders open, short follow through straight up.    - GW

From D.M.
CURVE BALL - "What is the most effective curveball grip and any other points to really focus on for success with this pitch?"
     Like with other breaking pitches, the curve is far more dependent on the timing and intensity of the wrist snap at the release than it is with the grip.   Although we typically like to see a 4-seam side-to-side rotation on the ball, some pitchers feel more comfortable with what results in a 2-seam rotation and they still get a good break.
     In general, men often have good success with a palm down release (it requires exceptional wrist strength and flexibility) ;  girls and women are most often successful with a palm-up, fingers-up release with a release and follow-through side-to-side across the pitchers abdomen.
     I generally encourage most pitchers to start with a 3-finger grip that allows two fingers to be placed against the sides of seam ridges.  Put your index and ring fingers against the sides of the U-shaped seams...the middle finger therefore can rest at the top of the U, or on smooth leather.   By gripping it that way, those two fingers then drive against the side of the stitches at the release to give the ball a tighter spin.   Otherwise, for a 2-seam grip, put the middle and ring fingers against the stitch ridges on the "narrows" where the seams are closest together...the index finger can lay loose against the side of the ball.
     The effectiveness of the curve is going to be determined not by which grip is used, but by the direction and speed of the spin.   Ideally we would like to see a side-to-side spin (going in the direction of the curve, as seen by the catcher) , but often end up with a sideways rotation that also angles downward.   For a palm-down curve, the hand must "snap" around the outside of the ball precisely at the release point.   For the more common fingers-up, palm-up release, the fingers need to be pointing skyward at the approach, and the wrist snap needs to be short and quick across the waist or slightly below it.  Often, bending your trunk backwards at the release helps to achieve the fingers-up position.   Otherwise, if the fingers are bent slightly forward at the release, it results in a screwball spin...opposite of what you want to achieve.
     Finally, with either style, a stride substantially across the power line can help with both spin speed and pitch placement.   So a right-hander, that means stepping up to a foot to the right of the power line, and pitching around the left leg.
                                                                                                              - GW

From K.Y. - 
Please give me some information on the effects of the rotation of a softball, and the release of a pitch and how it can affect a pitcher's speed.
     The rotation of the ball...the spin that a pitcher imparts at the release of the pitch...obviously has an effect on the direction that a pitch breaks.   However, the spin does not have any noticeable effect on the speed of the pitch.   Pitch speed is a product of the speed of the pitcher's arm coming through the release point, and the added speed that correct wrist position and the wrist's forward movement (wrist snap) at the precise moment the ball is leaving the pitcher's hand.
     SPEED - The pitcher's arm speed must have reached its maximum at the exact point of the release of the ball.  Consequently, although arm speed should be fast through the first 2-thirds of the arm rotation, a pitcher must further increase arm speed during the final 120 degrees during the final arm swing and through the release point.  
     Additionally, correct position of the pitcher's wrist at the release point is essential to obtain maximum speed.   A thumb-first release with the fingers behind the ball, driving it through the release, is proven to be the way a pitcher can achieve the best speed.  Simultaneously, a forward wrist snap (straight ahead, without twisting the hand over the top or around the outside of the ball) can add an estimated 3 to 5 mph to the pitch.   Pitchers who use an over-the-top drop ball release on their fastball can lose much of the speed increase that comes from a forward wrist snap.
      ROTATION OF THE BALL and THE "MAGNUS EFFECT" - The direction AND speed of a ball's spin determine the effectiveness of "breaking" pitches in softball (drop, screw ball, curve, rise ball, etc.) .   If the ball doesn't spin in the right direction OR doesn't spin fast enough, it won't have the intended drop, curve, or rise effect.
     The ability of a spinning projectile to curve (up, down, or sideways) in flight is caused by the Magnus Effect.  It can best be demonstrated by using a lightweight table tennis ball to impart spin...even backspin...to cause it to actually rise in flight.  As a ping pong ball or a standard weight softball spins in flight, a slight vacuum is created on the side, top, or bottom of the ball.  For instance a correctly spinning "rise ball" must have a true backspin (rapidly rotating bottom-to-top as seen by the catcher) to create a slight vacuum on the top side of the ball, giving it an extended lift in flight.   Although a true rise ball in softball does not make an upward banana-shaped trajectory as many people think, a fast spin in the correct direction can cause it to stay in flight longer, and therefore have a more level path instead of the natural downward arc of even a 65 mph fastball without the same spin.   Similarly a curve ball must spin rapidly in a side-to-side direction, a drop ball in a top-to-bottom direction (as seen by the catcher), etc.
     It is estimated that a drop ball needs to be spinning in the correct direction at a speed of at least 16 to 18 rps (revolutions per second) in order to have even a minimal drop due to a correct release.   Similarly, curve balls and screwballs must spin faster...more than 20 rps.   And a true rise ball must be spinning in excess of 25 rps in order to stay above the normal parabolic arc of a slower-spinning fastball.  Most softball pitchers who "think" they can throw a rise ball do not impart a correct reverse spin on the ball and/or do not have a hard enough wrist snap at the release to make the pitch work properly.
                                                                                                              - GW

From a concerned parent:
My daughter does an over the head windup, and then explodes off the mound.  In high school this year the coaches like her but want her to stop doing the overhead windup. My question is why do they want to cut her windup when she is comfortable doing it that way?
     I'm not certain why anyone should be concerned about your daughter's over-the-head pre-pump at the start of her pitching motion...there are probably a lot more important things to be concerned with. 
     Yes, we encourage new young pitchers to "keep it simple" by starting with their pitching hand and glove together in front of their body and then going into their backswing, before starting the forward rotation.   However, like your daughter, most teenage pitchers like to introduce something into their pre-motion that is her "trademark"...something that makes her look different, and maybe even a little more intimidating.   And some major college pitchers and even a few big-name Team USA pitchers do your daughter's "scare-the-bear" overhead move prior to starting their backswing:

From S.K.
My daughter just turned 12 and pitches for a 12U ASA travel team in California.  She is  a lefty but not a large girl (5feet) tall and throws her fastball generally in the mid to high 40s.  My question relates to the fact that she uses a slow drop curve as her change up.  She learned it from a UCLA pitcher last summer and is very comfortable with it.  I have taught her to pitch from watching videos and she has had some intruction at UCLA.  In order to take her to the next level we are trying to find her a pitching coach. The person who worked with her yesterday immediately wanted to convert her to a more traditional change up.   He also wanted her to learn the rise ball but I dont think she is big enough or throws hard enough yet.  What do you think?
    Good questions.
(1) RISE BALL - First, let me go on a rant about teaching a 12-year old a rise ball.   Because this is a very difficult pitch to learn, develop, and perfect, we typically don't have pitchers even start to work on a rise until they have gone through their major growth spurt...usually in their mid-to-late teens...and have a pitching speed at least in the 55-58 mph range.   Despite all of the bragging you hear from young pitchers, parents, coaches, and pitching instructors, most of the true rise-ball college-level pitchers didn't develop their rise until they were in late high school or college.   There's far more for your daughter to be working on at this age than a pitch release that doesn't have any meaningful effect on a batter other than to provide a sweet floating fastball through the power part of the zone.  Teaching a rise ball release to her during these pre-teen growth-plate injury prone years is a risk that is not worth taking.
    (2)  OFF-SPEED DROP/CURVE - Without question a low-and-away breaking pitch (curve, drop, or drop/curve) thrown off-speed should be your daughter's "take charge" pitch...the one that she can go to at any time to mess up a batter's timing.   However, I would recommend a traditional change-up (either the back-of-the-hand "flip" release, or the stiff-wrist "open palm" method) as her slowest (25% to 33% slower than her fastball) pitch.  Over the next few years she is going to face more skilled batters, many of whom can reload for a change, and that requires a pitch that comes in at a speed between the fastball and change-up.   And THAT is where I would suggest that she puts the off-speed drop/curve.   Even in a few months, just those three pitches can be a great repertoire: 50mph fastball, 33mph change-up, 41mph off-speed drop/curve.  Then, if things go on schedule, in two or three years, she can aim for speeds of 60, 39, and 48.
                                                                      - GW

From M.C.
I have a 10 year old left handed pitcher, should she be holding the ball with all fingers right now or go ahead and get use to holding with as little as possible. Also, how many different pitches should she have right now?
GRIP - HOW MANY FINGERS?
Most girl softball pitchers use a 3-finger grip for their fastball and later, for most of their breaking pitches.   Since your 10-year old is likely using a slightly smaller 11-inch ball (the standard 12-inch circumference ball is used by most organizations for ages 11 and over), it would be beneficial for her to try a 3-finger grip (4 if necessary to get started), and then stick with a 3-finger grip as she graduates to the standard-sized ball.  Also, it is best to start with a grip that places the pads of the fingers on the side of the horseshoe (or "U") seams on the ball, like in this photo:

                    - GW

From D.L.
I have coached various sports in the past couple of years, and I would like to start coaching softball I have no prior experience playing the game; so that makes it a little intimidating for me. I would really like to focus on being a pitching coach (and make sure that none of the pitchers get bad advice that could shorten their career).
If you could give me any thoughts on how to get started I would greatly appreciate them.
   As you saw on my website, I and most other pitching instructors always have our young pitchers work on good mechanics...pushoff, fluid arm swing, opening and closing trunk rotation, stride and landing, arm whip, release, and follow-through.    Once the fundamental mechanics are in order (and for some it can take months, or even more than a year) THEN speed and control will not be an issue.
    So I would first recommend that you become a real student of girls' windmill pitching mechanics.   Get some input from one or two of the good pitching instructors in your area, talk with some college and local high school pitchers to get feedback on what they have been taught right and wrong, and how their experience and recommendations apply to your girls.
   There is an excellent book that I mentioned on my website, FastPitch Softball, the Windmill Pitcher by Barry Sammons.   It is probably the best resource available on girls pitching.  You can pick it up online through Amazon.com or E-Bay....should be $15 or so.    Also, videotapes by Cheri Kempf or Michelle Smith could be very helpful.

                    - GW

• From T.B.
  I am 17 and I'm a junior at High School. I am a right-handed pitcher and throw between 57-60 MPH.  I have a fast-ball that I can pretty much hit any location, an off-speed that isn't always perfect but is a great pitch, a change up that is slower than my off-speed and has a spin to it (the only bad thing is that a good batter will be able to wait on it), and my screw ball which is pretty affective. Are those good pitches or do I need to work on a rise ball also? I want to gain some velocity in my fastball but I'm not really sure how I should go about doing that, any advice? Do you have any information about what colleges are looking for in a pitcher?
       What you are asking really depends on the level of competition that you are facing...both in high school and in competitive travel ball...and also what your plans might be for playing in college.
  
• PITCHING SPEED - Your high 50's speed is good, but speed is a place where every pitcher can stand out...if she is willing to work at it.   Depending on your physical size and strength, you can likely pick up a few miles per hour with only slight modifications in your pitching mechanics, and especially emphasizing the "arm whip" (putting all of your effort into the final downswing going into the release) and a final forward wrist snap precisely as the ball leaves your hand.  If you aren't on a weight training program right now, get busy on developing your throwing arm shoulder (pectoralis muscle), your wrist and fingers, and core (abs and lower back) .   All of these areas contribute directly to pitch velocity.   For other possibilities, take another look at the page on my website "Increase the Speed of Your Fastball".

From S.B.
My daughter is a 12 year old, 7^th grader, who has been pitching, with a coach, for the past 2 years.  She has grown into a very fine pitcher.  Our problem is that she her school coaches think she is a machine and not a 12 year old girl....  She has worked very hard, in spite of playing three sports.  Her school coaches very seldom congratulate her on pitching a good game, but are critical when her pitching is less than perfect.  My husband and I are concerned that the stress will wear her out, and she will give up on pitching.   We as parents and coaches need to understand that young children can produce so much more when encouraged rather than discouraged.
     Well said...and you have a reason to be concerned.   Nearly 90% of the younger kids who participate in recreational and competitive sports quit before playing the game in high school...and a significant majority of them give it up because they get more reprimands for their mistakes than they get accolades for doing things right.
     A couple of the big business gurus 20 years ago were Tom Peters (In Search of Excellence) and Ken Blanchard (The One Minute Manager) .   Both claimed than Supervisors and Managers got better results from their subordinates if they set a goal of "...always catching them doing something right."    And Blanchard and his cohort Bob Waterman based their "One Minute Manager" series on a child psychologist's recommendations to focus on the behavior rather than the child, to limit reprimands to 60-seconds, and to focus on the praises for doing things right.
     Coaches have a responsibility to be counselors...not reprimanders;  and that girls are different from boys;  and that we all work harder when you tell us when we have done something right.              - GW

From R.W.
I just read some of the answered questions on your web site.  One was from Kelli in Ohio simply thanking you for recommending a technique for the "arm whip" to her instructor.  Tell me more.
     A majority of girl softball pitchers don't reach their fastest potential pitching speed because they haven't concentrated on increasing their arm speed on the downside swing approaching the release point.  We pitching instructors typically encourage new young pitchers to develop a "smooth and consistent arm rotation".     All too often however, we fail to take them to the next step when they are ready.   And that is to develop a faster "arm whip" during the final one-third of the rotation.

_______________________________________________________________________

From B.K.
My daughter is 16 and is a fastball pitcher.   I have heard that they should not learn to throw a rise ball until they are 17 or 18.     Is this true and what is the reasoning for it?
      As you likely read on this website, although most high school-age pitchers like to think that they are throwing a rise ball, most aren't.   This is a pitch that requires exceptional mechanics and a precise release to get the ball spinning in the right direction and at a sufficient rotation speed (in excess of 20 revolutions per second)...and at a speed at least in the high 50's.
      Therefore, we always hold a pitcher back from even starting to work on the rise ball until she :

From R.S.
I am wondering what position the pitcher should be facing when she releases the ball,  facing the third base, or facing the batter?   We have had a discussion and many feel that she should be facing the third base, but I don’t see how she could get a good release of the ball.  It goes to the left of the plate all the time, because she has to throw around her body.
      This is a problem that is not only one for coaches and parents, but also an issue that could result in injury to the pitcher if done wrong.
      Our strong recommendation is that you should make certain that pitchers do neither.   (1) If a pitcher's trunk and hips are fully "closed" (facing home plate) at the precise instant the pitch is being released, she gets very little velocity in her pitch...the closing rotation which contributes to the speed of the final arm swing is already completed by the time she releases.  (2)  The "open" style (where a right-handed pitcher's body is facing 3rd base, or sideways to the catcher) is being taught by some pitching instructors nationally, but we recommend against it.   Younger, and even high-school age girls of average size can easily incorporate a slight bend at the waist into the open release, which can lead to lower back problems.
      The MAJORITY of successful pitchers release the ball with (1) their hips approximately halfway (or slightly less) closed, and their shoulders nearly fully closed (facing the catcher) .   Here is an example:

        

 

      This is for the fastball release only...other pitches require different shoulder and hip placement at the release point.
      Below is an example of the "open" style of release (which we permit ONLY to be used by older, larger pitchers on the release of their RISE ball) ...you can likely see how it bending at the waist while in this sideways release position can lead to lower-back problems with some girls:

 

                                                                                                                                                                        - GW

From J.M.
My daughter is 11 and has great desire to become a pitcher. She has worked with a pitching coach for 10 months now and has showed flashes of great pitches. Speed is there but control is not to good. She may throw 3 to 4 good pitches and then throw five or six like she never touched the ball. We practice pitching every other day, about fifty pitches at a time. I thought by this time her control would be improving. Am I expecting too much too soon? We seem to have hit a wall where I am not seeing any improvement. Her coach says keep working and doing the drills. Any advice?
It sounds like your daughter is right on the borderline...usually after 6 months or a year of practicing good pitching mechanics, and then adding speed, the control issue becomes a virtual automatic.   We always have a student focus on fundamentals...good mechanics.   Then when things are starting to become smooth and routine, add in the speed element.   We don't generally start focusing specifically on placement until all of that is going well.    Without seeing her in person or on video, it is obviously pretty difficult for me to make even a moderately accurate assessment.  Here are some thoughts and recommendations:

From Tom W.
My Granddaughter is 16 and started throwing a curve this past summer. She is right handed. She is able to throw it quite well to the out side of the plate for right hand batters but when she tries to throw it to the inside of the plate it doesn't break.  We think her problem is that she shortens her wrist snap to keep the pitch to her right.
     It sounds like you have pretty well diagnosed what is going on.
When the curve works to the left side but not to the right, there is usually one of two things causing the problem, and either can usually be corrected by adjusting where the left foot lands on the stride.  (1) Some pitchers are "side-steppers"...such as a right-hander whose stride-leg steps several inches...maybe even a foot to the LEFT of the power line.  (2) Even some straight-ahead steppers don't change their stride when they throw either a screw ball or a curve.
     A right-hander throwing a screw ball can usually make the pitch more effective if she side-steps to the LEFT.
     Similarly, most really good right-handed curve ballers can benefit by stepping (with her left foot) to the RIGHT of the power line when they stride.
     Obviously, any change in the delivery will take a little getting-used-to.   But have your Granddaughter try:  (1) landing her stride foot about 6 inches to the RIGHT of the power line when she throws the curve.   This creates a subconscious image that she has to throw the pitch "around" her left leg, and forces her to impart a better snap.    (2) Also, for a pre-delivery "focus point" prior to starting her wind-up, have her focus somewhere on the batter's thigh (if SHE thinks it is going toward the batter's leg, so will the batter).          - GW

From Kim, Kansas
I just turned 11 years old and have a pretty good fastball (my coach says it is about 48 miles an hour) and a flip-type change that works most of the time.   Those are my only two pitches.  Some of the other pitchers my age have a lot of pitches...one of them says she throws SEVEN different pitches, and she is only 11 also!  My coach says I shouldn't start on new pitches just yet.   I'm feeling like a loser.   Do you have any advice?
I sure do!   As a pitching instructor I regularly hear from pitchers or their parents who brag that they have a lot of pitches.   But when I have them pitch, everything looks the same...sometimes there isn't even any difference between the speed of the fastball and the change-up.   Just because a pitcher learns the grip of a pitch doesn't mean that she is throwing it with the right spin or the right speed and with good control. 

A drop ball isn't a drop ball if it doesn't drop;  a curve ball needs to curve;  and a rise ball needs to actually hop up over the bat...not just a pitch that is thrown from the knee and crosses the plate high.

It is MUCH better to throw two or three pitches really well, than to have 5 or 6 that don't do anything.   Follow your coach's advice:  (1) Get your fastball going faster...with good mechanics...and with good control;   (2) Make your change-up look really deceptive...just like a fastball...but at a speed about 15 miles per hour slower;  (3) THEN start working on your first breaking pitch, probably a drop ball.   If you're going to be a really good pitcher, each one of your pitches has to work well.   Take your time to develop each pitch right and don't fall into the trap of trying to follow the braggers.                      - GW

From Kanysha, Georgia
My coach wants me to slow down the speed of my change up pitch, but he also says it should be more level...without a "hump" in it.  Do you have any advice on how to throw a change up in a straight line like a fast ball, but a lot slower. 
Thanks for bringing this up again.  I recently had a similar question from the father of one of my students, and a follow-up to some work we had done a few years ago on change-up speed and the "parabolic arc" it must follow.  We have seen that a majority of pitchers throw their change too fast...presumably because they are trying to "keep it level."  (1) Deceptiveness and (2) off-speed are the two major components of a change-up.   We recommend that the speed of a change be 25% to 35% slower than a fast ball.    For most pitchers, that means that the "high point" in the arc of a change-up will be somewhere around letter (chest) high (or for younger pitchers with a slower fast ball, the arc of a change could go to as high as equal to the batter's shoulders).
For more, including some diagrams of the result of the study that we did with the assistance of two university instructors, see this page:  All Pitches...Even a Fastball...Have an Arc              - GW

From S.R.
As high school coach I have problems with some Summer League coaches who alter the pitcher's delivery or batting stance and bunting techniques that have been successful .  Many of the things they tell the kids are not the best technique...Some of the coaches are parents, so I don't want start a feud in the ranks. Any suggestions?
Your problem is a pretty common one.  I hear from a lot of good knowledgeable coaches who have a problem with their players getting the wrong advice from well-meaning parents or coaches.   Personally, I hear it consistently when one of my pitching students tells me that her team coach wants her to bend at the waist when she releases the ball, or "always keep your body straight ahead...never rotate sideways".   Some parents obviously feel they should be always be saying something to their daughter...even if it might be wrong. 
I certainly don't have an easy answer.  With pitchers, I do my best to educate parents at the same time I teach their daughter.   If they hear enough of the right things, they will be less likely to give wrong advice.  With your team's success with state titles and a 4 to 1 win-loss ratio, you should have a heck of a lot of credibility with parents and the coaches of local Summer teams.   So my recommendation would be to take advantage of it:

From TC, Illinois 
"My friends and I have been debating the following situation and whether or not the runs are considered earned or unearned?:
Situation:  Let's say that there is two outs with nobody on.  The batter gets on by an error.  Hypothetically, let's say the next three batters hit home runs, thus making the score 4-0.  Is the pitchers ERA 0 or 3?" 
Good question.   Most coaches and scorekeepers would have automatically given the situation 3 earned runs without giving it additional thought.  However, under typical softball/baseball scoring situations, they would (or at least SHOULD) be wrong.  Whenever a fielding error occurs, the pitcher shall be given the benefit of the doubt in determining to which bases any runners would have advanced had the fielding of the defensive team been errorless.   Since the error should have resulted in the final out of the inning, the subsequent homers should NOT be count as earned runs.   Check out Section 10.18 of The Official Online Rulebook for Major League Baseball at: www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/official_info/official_rules/official_scorer_10.jsp 

From Carl, a parent 
"My daughter took and year off, and has now made it to the "B" nationals.  I have recently noticed that her fast ball is coming in kind of like a screwball and you can see a dot on the spin as it comes in.  Her fast ball is now much slower, and her accuracy has suffered.  It appears that she is rolling off the inside part of the ball with her fingers, and not staying behind the ball.  She has small hands and says she is gripping the ball the same way she always has.  Is there a grip we can try to see if she can keep her fingers behind the ball?"

And a similar question from Roger, Illinois
"I have a 7 (almost 8) year-old daughter playing fast pitch softball.  She practices pitching and hitting usually at least 3 nights a week. I started her out just throwing as a pitcher would and after about a week she has somewhere out of no where come up with a twist of her wrist (not a flick, a twist) where it came from i have no clue.. but she pitches better when she does it... if she pitches with the
twist it is usually a good hard pitch, with some speed and she has varying control. Is this twist normal or can it hurt her?
     You have a good question.  Often we see a young pitcher...especially one who has not yet developed wrist and arm strength... twist her wrist at the release of the ball.   For a right hander, the twist is a clockwise twist...for a lefty, just the reverse.  If you are a bowler, this is similar to what is often called a "back-up" ball.   Right-handed bowlers with weak wrists (my wife is one of them) release the bowling ball with a backwards rotation, causing it to curve to the right.  Although there is a big difference between a 6 oz. softball and a 14 pound bowling ball, the concept is the same.
     We often run into the problem with older pitchers who are developing a screwball (the one that curves opposite from a traditional curve ball).  The screwball requires this sort of clockwise twist release, and when practiced too much, can actually drift over into the release of the regular fastball (which requires the fingers to be directly behind the ball at the release point).  We had one pitcher who had learned a screwball from her previous instructor, and it took nearly two months to get her to release the fastball properly.
     Although I suspect that a twist release could eventually lead to wrist, forearm, or elbow problems, I have not read any biomechanics studies on that specific problem.  Nonetheless, it would be a good idea for your daughter to break the habit now, while she is just starting out, and start throwing with the good mechanics that will be necessary to her pitching in the future.
     A natural underhanded release of the ball requires the inside of the wrist to lead the way...driving it right down the power line toward the catcher.   The 3 or 4 fingers holding the ball are therefore on the back side of the ball, providing power to drive it through at top speed, which is lost on a twist release.  Eventually (but don't work on it just yet), your daughter will consciously add a forward wrist snap at the release of the ball, adding a few additional mph.   With the inside of the wrist going first, and the fingers behind the ball as the ball leaves her hand, your daughter should work on a good "follow-through", being careful to NOT snap the ball by stopping her arm movement at her hip.   Stopping or snapping at the hip can cause injuries.  After the ball is released, she should allow her arm to continue forward...sort of a free movement...letting it go wherever it wants to go.  Typically, a good follow-through will let the arm bend AFTER releasing the pitch, then swing straight ahead bending upward.  Some pitchers end up with their fingers coming up and touching their pitching shoulder.
     If you are willing to spring for the $15 or $20, I would suggest that you pick up one of the books we mentioned elsewhere on this website:  (1)  Barry Sammons' FastPitch Softball, the Windmill Pitcher, 
(2)  Cheri Kempf's The Softball Pitching Edge, and (3) The Complete Book of Pitching  by Cindy Bristow.  
Or  any video, book, or clinic done by former UCLA pitcher Dee Dee Weiman.
                                                                                                                                            - GW

From Carla, Louisiana
"I just changed teams and really like our coaches, but they want to call all of our pitches.  My catcher and I are both 15 and have been playing together for four years.  She is very smart and can read batters very well.  The coach who calls the pitches says he just wants to make sure I use all of my pitches, and just "mixes them up" regardless of what we might need to throw at that time.  I think we should call our own pitches.  How do you feel about this?"
     Your head coach is the person to make the final decision on this.  If you can arrange it, I would suggest that you and your catcher meet with her or him to talk it over.  Be polite, but also confident about what you believe.  Tell the coach what you just said here to me.
     Obviously, without knowing a lot more about your situation, I can't give an objective opinion.  But since you asked how I feel about who calls pitches, here goes:
     My feeling is that, when appropriate, a smart and observant catcher should call all pitches.  A coach has the scorebook and therefore knows statistically what the batter has done in her previous times up.   But from the dugout, it is hard to see what pitches are pitches are working, where and how the batter is standing in the box, and can't see her confidence (or lack of it) at the plate.   A good catcher observes all of those things, and a smart catcher knows what pitch to call in each situation.
     Most of the time, a coach wants to call the pitches if s/he doesn't have enough confidence in the catcher.   If she is capable, the catcher's job then is to convince the Coach that she is the person to call pitches.
     Finally, YES...I feel the final decision on each pitch should be the pitcher's.  The catcher calls 90% of the pitches and the pitcher throws what was called.  But in the other 10%, if the pitcher wants to shake off the sign, that decision should be hers.
                                                                                                                                            - GW