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The mental game is the backbone of pitching. You could have the best physical tools around, but without your mind, you won’t get very far. Mechanics aren’t what make you good, it’s the mental game.
Like the infamous Yogi Berra said, “90% of the game is mental, the other half is physical,” yet most pitchers spend well over 90% of their time working on the physical game. It’s time to change that!
If your pitcher’s pitches look too similar, this could be a useful tip for her! While this is technically a physical adjustment, I think it helps your brain make the adjustment that ultimately creates greater pitch separation. This is a super easy and quick fix!
If your pitcher struggles with the first inning because she wasn’t able to fully warmup before the game, this video and drill is for you! As a pitcher, you won’t always have the time to do your normal warmup routine, so you have to adapt. This drill is especially important to practice during season!
Grab your journals, it’s time to think about the things you don’t want to think about! In all seriousness, unlocking the next level of the mental game is what is going to propel you forward, and it starts with mental awareness - during your best and worst games. This exercise should be done frequently to keep yourself accountable and make sure you’re reflecting on your mental routine.
A very common question I get from softball pitchers and parents is how to bounce back after giving up a homerun. Every single time, it’s a mental adjustment, not a physical one. This video goes over how to manage failure and bounce back quickly!
Practicing mental awareness is one of the best things a softball pitcher can do for herself. This is one of the drills we did at Oklahoma, and really forced me to pay attention to my mental routine and what I was thinking!
Struggle with the game speeding up on you or handling pressure? Practicing with a pitch clock is a great way to help you learn to work through that, especially if you can make it harder than a game.
Knowing why, when, and how to reset is vital for a pitcher’s success. Watch this video to learn all about how to reset and more about the mental routine!
We practice our spins and spots almost daily, but how often do you practice your gametime mentality? None of that matters if you struggle to really go at hitters.
This video covers our favorite (simple) cues to help you do just that!
How you do one thing is how you do everything. This video covers some of the micro-habits you should be doing if you want to perform at a higher level. The small habits are the building blocks to your success — whether or not that foundation will be strong is up to you!