What would we do without the clock?

In softball pitcher training coaches use the old fashioned clock face as a means of communicating and reviewing pitching mechanics.  Hopefully young pitchers will continue to learn to read a  clock!

The first reference point is with the hands out front at 3 o clock

3 oclcok
12 oclcok

After 3 the arm moves up to 12 o’clock.  Sometimes splitting hairs 12 o’clock is the peak of the ball and sometimes the peak of the humerus ( elbow joint

 

 

9 olclco

The arm then moves to 9 o’clock. 9 or sometimes 10 is the beginning of the critical whip phase of the pitch. Again it can be measured at the elbow joint or the ball position.

6 oclcok

And finally down to 6 o’clock where pitches are released.  Hopefully this helps young pitchers and their parents to decode the pitching coach jargon

clock face