How to Improve Softball Pitching Accuracy? Coach’s Guide.

Last Updated on September 22, 2023

If you have a kid who is interested in softball then you must have come to the right place for some tips. Softball pitching is easy and fun as it can be. With some tips, it can improve greatly. So, please read the full blog on how to improve your softball pitching accuracy. 

I bet if you can apply them in your training ground, then your softball accuracy will go off the chart. As a coach of high school baseball, I have always given these tips to my pitchers and they did show formidable improvement within no time.

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Key Takeaways

• Get rid of your constraints
• Use pitching net
• Measure your accuracy and precision
• Repeat

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What are Accuracy Pitching and Precision Pitching?

Pitching can be divided into two types when it comes to softball. Accuracy pitching is throwing the ball into the small imaginary square where the catcher is. You can throw it anywhere in the square. On the other hand, precision pitching is throwing the ball in the bottom right corner of the square. 

When a new pitcher practices, they first practice the accuracy pitching but with time, the precision command must take over the accuracy pitching. Because that’s how you win the game.

How to Improve Softball Pitching Accuracy

Now, let’s see, how you can improve your pitching accuracy with the following tips and steps

Understand How Pitching Works

This is a little nerdy, but what I am saying is based on research and players’ experience.

First, to learn, how to improve softball pitching accuracy, you must know how the pitching works. It is not tough to understand. Your body completely moves in a direction where you put all your force and consciousness onto one point. Research says that rather than your wrist, your arm, forearm, and body movements play the parts when it comes to throwing the ball with accuracy.

So, at first, try to soften your grip and do less rotation of the ball. For precision and accuracy, you need to extend your arm rather than put more rotation on it. Here, less is more.

Know your Limitations

The second step is to know your limitations when you are playing a game. Pitching takes a lot of motor functions within the body. If you do not know your limitations, then you cannot get rid of them and get more accurate and precise results while pitching. There are three kinds of major limitations you may face while playing-

• Flexibility 

Your body should be flexible enough to throw a ball. For this, you should always practice warming up before the game. Besides, often practice exercises that may help you to make your body more flexible. 

• Mechanical

Mechanical limitations are those mistakes or actions you take when you should take another action. Like throwing a ball to the keeper rather than a fielder. If you do this, then you may miss a chance with a ball. You have to understand where to throw the ball and when. The mechanical limitations can be overcome. For this, you need to play regularly with your team members.

• Strength

Every muscle in the body is important and you should take care of your body in such a way that your whole body improves. Without proper strength, you will not get proper torque or force on the ball. Besides, due to a lack of proper strength on the ball, you may find anxiety on the field which can also give a great advantage while trying precision or accurate pitching.

If you can find the limitations you have presently, then you can understand in which way you can remove them. After you remove your limitations, you can move to the next step for further accuracy and precision in pitching.

Start with the Strike Zone

If this is your 101 step to improve your pitching, then you should start by working with the strike zone. After the last two steps, which were basically the theoretical parts, we will now come to the practical part to start. 

A hitter’s strike zone is the place where your ball should go through. It is not necessary to be 100% accurate but it will happen when you try precision command over the ball.

But at the beginning try to rotate your body as much as possible to bring more torque and force on the ball but not on the grip. Start working on your precision with a softball-pitching net. 

My personal recommendation is to use a nine-hole net. 

For the first time, you can also use a normal square pocket net. But you should think about the long run.

Measure your Accuracy and Precision

At this point, you should measure the accuracy and precision you already have. That should be the ground zero of your practical training. If you start from that, the next point should be to find out which one you should first work on – accuracy or precision.

If you are still at the pitcher’s first stage, then you should go for accuracy. And the nine-hole net should be your friend from now on.

On the other hand, if you already have a good hold over pitching control and looking for more, then I recommend you should buy a net that can work more on precision. With numbering and automatic scorekeeping, you can help yourself with a pitching practice net that is customized for precision command.

Repeat the Whole Process

After using it for a week and pitching regularly, you should measure your accuracy and precision again. If you find it satisfactory then continue the routine. Otherwise, change the routine and exercise to get out of your limitations for better accuracy and precision.

Tips for Improving Your Accuracy

1. Try to throw the ball straight rather than putting force and rotate the ball more
2. Control your balance more to get more accuracy
3. Think before your pitch and target and then throw
4. Block your other sensors and focus on the primary target
5. Reduce aggression and anxiety by relaxing before pitching
6. Focus on your timing – accuracy depends a lot on timing. 
7. Work on your speed and start by lowering and higher it to get total control over it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make my softball pitch more accurate?

You can make your softball pitch more accurate by improving your flexibility and motor function. Try to focus on throwing the ball with straight hands rather than putting more torque and rotation on the ball.

 How can I improve my pitching accuracy?

You can improve your accuracy by increasing focus on the speed, velocity, and motor functions of your body. If you can improve your timing and focus on relaxing more while pitching, the accuracy will improve little by little.

What makes a good pitcher in softball?

Softball pitching needs flexibility and agility. As there are various combinations for softball, like the right-hand and left-hand combo, you need to accurately send the ball within the right striking zone. So, your accuracy has to be furnished every day.

What are the three constraints for baseball pitching accuracy?

Baseball pitching accuracy needs to overcome three types of constraints – mechanical constraints, flexibility constraints, and strength constraints. They are vital to have good accuracy when you are pitching.

Conclusion

If you are trying to improve your accuracy and precision, there is no other option but to practice regularly from different angles and dimensions. So that, you can easily cope with any kind of scenario.

Meta Description: If you want to increase your accuracy and precision, you need to train again and again with a softball pitching net, then you can expect a change within time