Coaches Note: With truly beginning pitchers, use “PITCH HOME” as the only option. Be patient with the athletes, allowing time to get comfortable with the basic movements before adding variables to their execution. Later, increase the difficulty level both by adding options (step off, home, pick off) and assignments.

I. OPTION WORK - Basic
To develop a level of comfort with the stretch progression movements, drill your athletes through the steps with a series of verbal instructions. Begin with the athletes in their pitching lanes, and use the verbals listed below to walk them through a pitch from start to finish.

Example #1: Standard - Coach instructs the athletes to follow his verbal directions. Begin with straddle position and finish with an executable assignment. After coming set, the athletes are to pitch home:

1. “Straddle”
2. “Step On”
3. “Look in to your target, get your sign”
4. “Come Set”
- Wait for 3 seconds
5. “Home” (Use “home” as the verbal to pitch home. “Pitch” sounds too similar to “Pick,” which the athletes will eventually incorporate.)

II. OPTION WORK - Add Step Off
After the athletes have shown that they are comfortable moving from straddle position through delivering a pitch, increase the level of difficulty. This can be done by using a quicker pace through the movements, and then by adding variables or options. First, introduce the concept of stepping off the rubber (verbal = “STEP OFF”).

Stepping off can be executed at any point of a pitcher’s progression, and is the ONLY way to move off of the rubber. Stepping off the rubber means that a pitcher moves his back foot from in front of and directly next to the pitcher’s rubber, to a position directly behind it. Once a pitcher has disengaged his back foot, he may then break his hands and move freely. The action of stepping off frees an athlete from the rules of the stretch motion, and is the ONLY way to move off of the rubber. Once a pitcher has come set, stepping off becomes one of only three options that he may execute (the others being pitch home and pick off).

Example #2: Add simple variations of “STEP OFF”
1. “Straddle”
2. “Step On”
3. “Look in to your target, get your sign”
4. “Come Se--- STEP OFF!”

At this point, doublecheck that all athletes have correctly moved their back foot from in front of, to directly behind, the pitchers rubber. After making the necessary corrections, continue with the verbal commands:

5. “Straddle” (start over)
6. “Step On”
7. “Look into your target, get your sign”
8. “Come Set”
- Wait for 1 second
9. “Home”

Do this several times, mixing in “STEP OFF” at various times through the progression. Also, include repetitions incorporating two or three different “STEP OFF” commands.