Softball Fastpitch - Pitching Fundamentals [Paperback]

This book was very helpful to me in regards to helping my child learn to pitch softball. As the parent of a girl who played baseball when younger, the complexities of softball pitching has been difficult to convert. This book is very user friendly, both to the parent and to the player.

This book is a fantastic combination of the author teaching the fundamentals of fastpitch softball pitching as well as sharing her personal journey in amature sports. She explains her extensive background in softball, her impressive accomplishments and the impact that good (and bad) coaching has on the psyche of players. What sets this book apart from others I have read is that Melinda Cook Carpenter's main focus is not "How To Win", which is the primary focus of most sports manuals. But rather, her focus is on the experiences of the softball player and how a coach/parent has the ability to either enhance the players experience or completely demoralize them. She stresses the necessity of positive support and encouragement, and the teaching of fundamentals. This manual is about the enjoyment of the game and about encouraging young players to build self esteem and confidence. The author effectively does this by sharing her ups and downs at various level of competitive softball. In addition to her personal story and journey, the author gives detailed instruction regarding the mechanics of fastpitch softball pitching as well as illustrations of proper throwing technique. This is a great resourse that every softball league should utilize to encourage positive coaching that will ultimately result in retention of young players in the leagues.