When to Make Changes or Learn a New Pitch?

The one question I most often get asked by parents and pitchers this time of year, is when’s the best time to make a change to your pitching motion and/or add a pitch? Here are a few things to consider when deciding if it is the right time to fix a problem, or add something to your pitching repertoire.

1.     Off season.  Look at your calendar and carve out a six month window that you will devote to making this change. It takes time to create a new habit and some of your pitching motion might be affected when learning a new pitch or fixing a bad habit.   

2.     Mastery Mentality As young pitcher, I was taught it takes a year to learn a pitch and a year to perfect it.  While the timeline might not be relevant in today’s world, the mentality is. To be a great pitcher you must have command of your body, and be able to make adjustments to your pitch or motion when necessary. 

3.     Support and Patience. Have everyone in on the process so you can have support and they can celebrate your efforts.  Sometimes the process can seem long and grueling, and you might feel like you are going backwards.  This is where the support of your coaches, parents and pitching instructor come in to help keep you focused, celebrating even the smallest of improvements.

4.     Desire. Desire to learn and improve is necessary to be your best. Take pride in being a student of the game, remember that knowledge is power.  Try to focus on the end goal of better mechanics or that new pitch being thrown. Pitchers who stay excited about reaching their goals tend to reach them faster.  Every positive change you make gets you one step closer to being the best pitcher you can be. Learning is life long, so why not enjoy the journey.