Speed vs. Control

SPEED VS. CONTROL

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONTROVERSIES IN TEACHING FASTPITCH PITCHING IS WHETHER TO TEACH SPEED OR CONTROL FIRST. ONE THEORY IS TO TEACH SPEED FIRST, THEN WORRY ABOUT CONTROL LATER. WHILE OTHER PITCHING COACHES SAY YOU SHOULD TEACH CONTROL FIRST, THEN CONCENTRATE ON SPEED.

THIS IS NOT AN EASY QUESTION TO ANSWER BECAUSE THE ATHLETES AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES DIFFER GREATLY. A YOUNG PITCHER MAY BE THROWING VERY HARD AND IT MAY HELP TO SLOW HER DOWN TO ACHIEVE AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF CONTROL. SOMETIMES A PITCHER MAY HAVE EXCELLENT CONTROL, BUT THROWS THE BALL SO SLOW THAT THE BATTERS TEE OFF ON HER PITCHES. IN THIS CASE YOU WOULD TRY TO INCREASE HER SPEED, EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP SOME CONTROL.

IF GIVEN A CHOICE OF A FAST, UNCONTROLLED PITCHER OR A SLOW PITCHER WITH CONTROL, I WOULD CHOOSE THE LATTER FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. A WALK OR A HIT BATTER GETS ON BASE FREE. A BATTER WHO HITS THE BALL HAS A CHANCE OF GETTING OUT BY NORMAL DEFENSIVE PLAY OF YOUR TEAM. THE OBJECT OF SOFTBALL IS TO GET THE OUT, REGARDLESS OF HOW. YOU CANNOT STRIKE OUT EVERYBODY.

MY ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF SPEED OR CONTROL ?

IT DEPENDS ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE PITCHER!