Softball Pitching: The Panic Face is Not Allowed

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Have you seen that look on a softball pitcher's face before?  The panic look?  I know I have…and when I'm on the other end of that look (in the batter's box) I KNOW I have that pitcher beat!  I KNOW I'm going to hit the ball and make something happen.

One thing great pitchers know how to do is avoid that panic face at all costs. Great pitchers know how to keep "bummed out" feelings from showing on the outside.  Great pitchers can keep the same demeanor and just keep throwing even when all hell is breaking loose around them (in other words, when their defense is making errors left and right).  Whether they just struck out the side and are feeling confident or it's the middle of the longest inning ever and they have reason to be frustrated, they look the same on the outside.  This is such a powerful skill to master, but it's not always an easy thing to do, nor does it come easily to everyone.

So how can you get better with this?

Well, it starts with awareness.  Some pitchers may not even be aware of the signals they are sending with the look on their face or the change in their body language.  This is something that coaches may need to point out and work with their pitchers on.  If you're a pitcher, get some feedback from your coaches or even our teammates about what they notice about you when you throw a mistake pitch or when you get frustrated or upset during a game.  What do you do?  How does your body language or facial expression change.  Knowing what you are currently doing or how you are weak in this area is the first step to making improvements.

Actually, this is an issue any player can work on, not just pitchers, but I believe this issue is even more important for pitchers and catchers. Why?  Because the pitcher is often who your opponent is focused on and the catcher is someone that everyone on your defense is looking toward on every pitch.  The body language and demeanor of these two people can have a big impact, either positive or negative, on your team and your opponent.  It's an important part of both those positions and is something that should be addressed and worked on in addition to skill work.

Many pitchers will work on their pitching skills daily, but how often are they working on their mental game? How often are they practicing how to avoid showing that panic face which can get them into almost as much trouble as hanging a pitch over the plate? Probably not often enough.

Need some help bringing the subject up with your pitchers? Check out the article below…

There was a softball article that talked about this "panic look" pitcher's sometimes get.  There were actually quite a few references to the mental game in this article.  It's a great article for pitchers (and players in general) to read - it definitely opens up opportunities to discuss the mental game with them.  Check it out HERE.

Hopefully these tips have been helpful. What do you think?