THE MENTAL ASPECTS OF WINDMILL PITCHING
The windmill pitcher, in girls' softball, has a mental aspect of the game to deal with, that is at least as important as the physical game, and maybe more so. Below I have written some tips that may help you to develop the right frame of mind when you are on the mound.
Realize that when you take your place on the mound, it is your game. You are in control. Nothing can happen until you pitch the ball. Take a few seconds to calm yourself. Deep breaths are helpful. Relax, and determine which pitch you want to throw and where you want to throw it.
Do not antagonize the umpire. You do not need him or her for an enemy. When you throw a pitch you believe is a strike and the ump calls it a ball, smile or show no expression at all. Do not make faces, or bad mouth the umpire. He or she will not appreciate a pitcher trying to make him or her look foolish. You will pay for it on the close ones. That umpire's perception of the strike zone may not be the same as yours. Maybe he doesn't see the low outside corner well, or perhaps your catcher receives the ball in a manner that blocks his or her vision. Compose yourself, and get ready for the next pitch. Be consistent and continue to work.
The batter is trying to guess what you will throw. She may look at a pitch or she may be ready to swing at the first pitch in her hit zone. The secret is for you to make her think more. Vary your delivery time. If you get in a routine that has you throwing the ball in 4 seconds following presentation every time, a good batter will use that to her advantage, as a timing mechanism. Mix your pitches, but not in a set routine. If they know that you throw a changeup every time you get an 0-2 count, after while they will look for it and hit it. That is called sitting on the pitch.
The more experience you gain, the more you will understand about the mental aspects. You will learn that when a batter holds the bat a certain way, they have weaknesses for certain pitches. Where they stand in the batter's box is another giveaway. Some stand in the front of the box to get the pitch before it breaks. Rise ball, fastballs, and screwballs are good on them. If they're back in the box, drops, and changeups usually work.
If you get nervous before a game or when you take the mound, GOOD! If you lose that, you have become complacent. Any ball player that cares about the game is at least a little nervous.
The most important thing to remember is it's a game. The sun will rise tomorrow, whether you win or lose. Make it fun! When you leave the field leave the game there. Don't let a bad performance stay with you, and don't try to live a season on one good performance.
Determine to set aside practice time, work on things you need, and be ready for the next game, always wanting to be the best you can be.