Report to the Coaches: Softball Pitching at the 1996 Olympic Games

RESULTS (continued)

Pitching performance

Average data from the 24 Olympic pitchers also provided insight into the relationship between ball speed and pitching mechanics. Throwing arm position as the stride foot comes into contact with the ground, stride position, stride foot orientation, throwing arm speed at the instant of ball release and hand and elbow contributions to ball speed are important. Eight specific parameters related to pitching mechanics are depicted graphically in the following pages. These eight measurements: 1) shoulder extension at stride foot contact, 2) shoulder abduction at stride foot contact, 3) knee angle at stride foot contact, 4) stride angle, 5) stride foot orientation, 6) arm speed at release, 7) elbow contribution to ball speed and 8) hand contribution to ball speed at release are important predictors of ball speed. Shoulder extension and shoulder abduction are explained and depicted in the previous section on injury potential.

Pitching Performance Summary

As the stride foot touches down, the position of the throwing arm is important to pitching performance. Two of the parameters that were critical to injury prevention (shoulder extension and abduction) are also important to production of ball speed. The arm should be close to the body (in the plane) and should be near the top of the backswing as the stride foot comes into contact with the ground. If the arm is out of the windmill plane or not near the top of the backswing, ball speed will decrease. These two parameters, which indicate pitch timing and coordination, need to be optimized in the same manner for injury prevention and maximum ball speed. The angle at the knee joint is also important as the stride foot touches down. On average, the knee should be bent approximately 30 degrees short of full extension. A pitcher with a stride knee that is bent more than about 35-40 degrees will jeopardize ball speed.

In order to increase ball speed, it also appears that the angle of the stride should be in a forward direction and not too far right or left of the power line. Again, the knee angle of the stride foot and the stride placement can be optimized for performance and shoulder stress reduction in the same manner. Orientation of the stride foot also appears to be important in producing ball speed. A stride foot which is pointed toward third base (for a right-handed pitcher) at about a 10 to 30 degree angle is optimal for producing ball speed. Pitchers who tended to angle the stride foot too much (greater than 30 degrees) had slower release speeds. Another coordination factor which affects ball speed is the speed of the throwing arm as it circles through the windmill motion. At the instant of ball release, pitchers with great arm speeds tended to have lower ball velocities. Therefore, it appears that the arm circle needs to slow down prior to ball release for optimal ball speed. Two body segment contributions to ball speed also seem to be critical factors to ball velocity at the release point. The speed of the hand just prior to release should be maximal for increased ball speed. Also, those pitchers with high contributions from the elbow just prior to release tended to have lower ball speeds. Thus, proper sequencing of the segments (i.e., shoulder, then elbow, then wrist, then hand) appears to be important to pitching performance.

The following pages contain actual data regarding ball speed and the eight parameters mentioned above for the 24 pitchers included in the study. These pitchers represented the following countries: Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Netherlands, Puerto Rico and United States. Average values, as well as individual values, are given for each parameter.

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