Elite Pitching: Increasing Speed & Improving Accuracy

with Marissa Young,
Duke University Head Coach;
2020-2021 ACC Champions;
over 100 wins through four seasons (2018-2021) at Duke;
former University of North Carolina Assistant Coach;
3x All-American as a player at the University of Michigan; named the 2002 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and 2003 Big Ten Player of the Year

The more speed and accuracy your pitchers have, the harder they will be to hit. In this video, Duke University's Marissa Young covers the key steps and drills that she uses in her own program to help her pitchers dial up faster, pinpoint pitches.

Keys to Speed & Accuracy

Coach Young starts off by running through the keys that she believes will lead to better speed and accuracy from within the circle, including spin, rhythm and timing. Then, she moves to the diamond to cover over 15 drills that are all aimed at maximizing the performance of your pitchers.

A progression is used to develop a proper arm swing that adapts to each individuals' style and rhythm. In combination with drills that engage the lower half, Coach Young incorporates a conditioning element that continually challenges her pitchers.

Bullpen

You'll learn various bullpen drills that eliminate old school snap drills and take a holistic approach to coaching movements. The design of the bullpen session creates feel and a natural progression that works from the ground up, while developing consistency and location. Young explains why she has moved away from focusing on snaps in favor of the belief that the focus should be on larger movements.

Within the bullpen session, Coach Young incorporates in-game management, asking pitchers to adjust their location and speed. Further, she places pitchers in situations where they are challenged to work without certain pitches, allowing pitchers to voice which pitches they are comfortable utizing for that situation.

Coach Young does a tremendous job organizing practice sessions that focus on data, movement patterns, and volume. This video will show you why she is a rising star in coaching and give you techniques and drills that will quickly improve the speed and accuracy of your pitching staff.

58 minutes. 2021.