The Battlefords Minor Softball Association hosted the Don Bates Pitching Clinic at the NationsWEST Field House last week.
The clinic consisted of six one-hour sessions from Jan. 19 to 30. There were three groups ranging from the mite age group up to bantam.
Don Bates, who was present for the clinic, is the head coach of the Canadian Men's national softball team. He also runs a softball academy in Saskatoon. Bates said the girls who signed up for the clinic were talented and enthusiastic.
The warm-up for the sessions included both overhand and windmill-style throwing. A major focus of the training was on the mechanics of the throw, including the angle of release and how the ball is released from the hand. There was extensive time spent not using a ball in order to focus on arm movement.
In one of the last sessions, Bates recorded the pitchers so they could see themselves pitch. He broke down their motion and release with them in slow motion. Bates said it is a fun experience for the pitchers to see themselves on camera. It allows the players to see where they can improve and leaves them something to work on.
