The Coach-Athlete Relationship

Today I want to share my thoughts on the coach-athlete relationship.  I am including a link (click on this blog post title) to an article written on this subject.  I cannot say enough how proud I am of my girls this season, from my pitchers, to my teams, to the friends of these teammates who come in and out of my life.  I pray each day that I'm able to be in a place to positively influence these young girls.  I hope I am the stability in your life that you need. I hope I provide the drive and opportunity for you to grow as much as you can.  I hope that I am an open heart, a listener and a mentor when it's more than softball that's on your mind.  I thank you for the opportunity to coach you this year, and hope that our time together has provided many memories and positive life-lessons.

Thanks for a great year.
I look forward to our next season; of softball and of life.

Upcoming Events

For interested athletes, Coach Jordyn is accepting openings for pitching, fielding and hitting lessons at this time.

Click To View An Outline Of
"My Softball Training"

For Questions and Scheduling

Please Feel Free To Contact 

Coach Jordyn By Phone or Email.

 

Zeke Mumma Fund Raiser

This fall Coach Jordyn will be volunteering for the fifth year to support friend and colleague, Laurie Mumma to raise funds for Laurie's son Zeke. The Zeke Mumma Fund was created in 2004 after Zeke Mumma suffered brain injury stemming from a severe and unusual case of bacterial pneumonia. Since then, Zeke has overcome the obstacles of learning to crawl, communicating, and eating.


Throughout the year, the Zeke Mumma Fund hosts multiple fundraisers to help with Zeke's development and help offset the cost of his therapy and bi-annual trips to the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential (IAHP) in Philadelphia and to a physical therapy center in Canada.


Please join us for the annual girls softball clinic August 16th to support Zeke's recovery and continued needs. You can sign up for either the pitching clinic or total skills clinic.
To learn more about Zeke and his condition/improvements please visit http://zekemummafund.org

Summer Workouts: Core Exercise

As your summer season rolls to a finish, it is important to take a break from pitching daily, so your arm is fresh for each playoff and championship game.  But you still want to maintain core strength.  This is a great workout that you can do at home.

Windmill push-up:

Begin a regular push-up, bending at the elbows, but as you push up, rotate your body and extend your right arm overhead.  Your arms and torso should form a T, with your left arm supporting your weight.  (Don’t let your hips sag).  Slowly lower yourself down.  Perform 4 to 6 reps, per side, alternating.

Pitching Tips:

                         Start with a Strike.


Why?      
 - Most batters won't swing at the first pitch anyway.
 - It puts the pitcher ahead in the count.
 - (If you know a batter always goes after the first pitch, don't give her that strike) 

Essential Pitch-Count Strategies:

What pitch should be called in the following batter-count?


0-0
Fastball for a STRIKE on a CORNER.



0-1
Breaking ball to FINISH on the Opposite corner that the previous pitch was called.






1-1
A risky pitch is good to throw here.  Like a curve-ball, drop-ball, rise or screw.
The pitch you call should FINISH on the Opposite corner that the previous strike was called.






1-2
If you haven't called an off-speed pitch yet, definitely throw one now!
If you just called a change, curve or drop, try a RISE ball.  You can be very risky!
The pitch you call should FINISH on the Opposite corner that the previous strike was called.






2-2
FASTBALL.
Remember the previous pitch! This pitch can be on the SAME side of the plate, but a little further out if it was an outside pitch, or a little further in if it was an inside pitch.
See if she will chase a ball.






1-0
Throw a pitcher's BEST Movement pitch.  Like a change-up, curve-ball, drop, rise or screw.
If none of her off-speed pitches are working, throw a FASTBALL in the Opposite spot as the previous pitch.










0-2
This can be anything from your pitcher's "Go-To" pitch to a Movement pitch, to a new pitch that hasn't been thrown in a game yet!  You can be very risky, or just end with a sure-strike!




3-1
A pitcher's "Go-To" pitch.
If you're struggling, make sure the target is a broader AREA rather than right on a corner.
For example, set up and aim to hit between the center of the plate and a corner.






3-2
A pitcher's "Go-To" pitch.
If you're struggling, make sure the target is a broader AREA rather than right on a corner.
For example, set up and aim to hit between the center of the plate and a corner.
 
 
 


 

Question For Pitchers, Catchers And Coaches

If you know a batter always swings at the first pitch, call a: ____(what)_____

• call a: pitch on a corner; maybe a little further outside the strike zone
• See if she will chase a pitch outside the zone.

If the pitcher is ahead in the count... And the batter swings and MISSES, throw the next pitch: __(where?)___

• throw the next pitch: in the same area, but a little further outside the strike zone
• See if she will chase a pitch outside the zone.

 

Essential Question For Pitchers, Catchers And Coaches

NEVER THROW: ___(what?)____

• Never Throw: the same pitch twice
• ALWAYS switch up the SPEED and/or the SPOT

Question For Pitchers, Catchers And Coaches

What are SLOW movement pitches?

• Change-up
• Curve-ball
• Drop-ball

What are FAST movement pitches?

• Rise-ball
• Screw-ball 
• 2-Seam

Question For Catchers And Coaches

If your pitcher is struggling to hit the corners, where should you set up?

• Between the center of the plate and a corner: give her an area of the plate, instead of the corner
• Unless she throws 3 balls in a row: don't ever set up right down the middle!