HITTING YOUR SPOTS
Pitching can really be defined by three elements: speed, movement, location. Speed means nothing without movement, and speed nor movement mean anything without being able to locate the pitch. While I have heard many girls and parents talk about how fast they or their daughters can throw, I have seen the same girls strike out 9, walk 8, and hit 2, or throw the ball as hard as they can down the middle of the plate, and get pounded for 12 to 15 hits. Good pitchers will keep the batter off balance by constantly changing speed and location. This does not mean a change up every other pitch. Instead the speed of each pitch is varied. If done correctly, the batter will be fooled. She will be out on her front foot, or staying back too long, or just frozen, and unable to swing. While this does not alway lead to a high number of strikeouts, it does cause a lot of weak grounders and pop ups. Practice spotting the ball to the low, outside corner, high outside corner, low inside corner, and high inside corner. Focus on the target and step towards it. With a lot of practice, it will come.
Remember, your goal is to get the batter to swing at your pitch. You don't want every pitch to be a strike. Instead, throw enough strikes to make them swing at balls.
Work on accuracy and speed at the same time, and keep the attitude that "I will get this right!" With patience, you will.
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