Windmill Pitching Phases: Perfecting the Rise and Curve Ball

with Chanda Bell,
Indiana University Associate Head Coach;
2023 ATEC/NFCA Midwest Region Staff of the Year;
2023 was Indiana's first 40+ win season since 1994;
Marshall University Assistant Coach/Pitching from 2013 through 2017;
2017 NFCA 2017 Mideast Region Coaching Staff of the Year;
coached the 2017 Conference USA Pitcher of the Year;
former pitcher for the University of Kentucky;
she holds the Wildcats all-time (910) and single-season (288) strikeouts record;
is the only pitcher in UK's history to have four seasons of 200 or more strikeouts;
threw the program's first no-hitter and perfect game;
2020 Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame inductee

All pitchers need moving pitches that they can use to strike out opposing batters. Chanda Bell uses her experience as a player and a coach to help her players reach their absolute best when they are pitching. In this video, she shows you how to break down the mechanics of pitching into phases, and how to throw two of the most popular strikeout pitches.

Phases of Pitching

Improve pitching mechanics by learning the five phases of pitching. From the mental preparation necessary to succeed on any pitch, to executing the pitch, knowing the five phases will help break down the pitching motion into manageable parts.

Coach Bell has broken down her drills into five phases that address common problem areas with pitchers, and the solutions on how to fix them. The "Swing Through" drill is a great drill for pitchers to learn the balance and mechanics necessary to explode off the mound before you start your pitch. If this phase of the pitch isn't correct, accuracy will be affected, spin won't be as tight, and the pitch won't get as much movement. Overall, you will see 12 drills to help you develop better pitchers.

Rise and Curve

Once the pitcher's mechanics are correct, learn how to perfect the rise and curve - two of the most popular swing and miss pitches. Snap your wrist correctly to throw a rise that jumps over the hitter's bat, and a curve that dances away from a batter. You will learn a progression, with drills for both pitches, to throw a late-breaking rise and curve. Coach Bell shows you how to creatively use several different tools, from spinners to pool noodles, to help throw a curve that breaks away from a right handed batter.

If you want to teach your pitchers solid fundamentals through great drill work, then this is the video for you!

48 minutes. 2017.