ROCKING LEG DRIVE
Athletic Starting Position
The pitcher sets up with her glove foot raised of the ground so the leg is close to a 90 degree angle. Her throwing hand foot is positioned on the rubber with the leg slightly flexed. The ball and glove start together. The back is straight and the eyes are on the target.
Rock
To start the motion, the pitcher rocks her glove foot back maintaing the 90 degree angle. This movement forces the shoulders and head to move forward over the lead foot. The lead leg flexes to prepare for an aggressive leg drive. The ball separates from the glove back straight behind the hip. The eyes remain on the target.
Sit
The pitcher starts the drive by sitting on her pitching hand foot as the glove foot extends toward the target. The body is low and athletic. The pitching arm starts it's forward circular rotation. The hips and shoulders are square to the target. The eyes are on the target.
Drive
The pitcher drives off her pitching foot as the glove foot extends up and out towards the target. The hips and shoulders stay square to the target as the pitching arm starts its circular rotation. The eyes are on the target.
Drive/Rotate
As the pitcher drives her right foot pushing off the pitching rubber, she starts to rotate her body to a closed position so that the glove, lead foot hip, and shoulder start to point to the target. The lead foot continues to elevate up and out towards the target. The piching arms remains in a direct circular path as the eyes are on the target.
Drive/Extend
The pitcher continues her drive with her right foot pushing off the pitching rubber. As she pushes off the rubber, her foot maintains contact with the ground by dragging her toe. Her left foot continues exploding and extending out towards the target as far as she can. Her shoulders and hips rotate to a closed position so her glove hand and glove shoulder point to the target. Her pitching arm continues in a circular motion at the top of the circle. The eyes are on the target
Finish
The pitcher finishes her pitch by snapping the ball to the target with the arm finishing high. Her body is in a balanced position as her shoulders and hips to start to rotate to a square position to the target for an athletic defensive position.