With 99% of your attention devoted to catching the ball and not getting hit, it is very hard to try and focus on the pitcher's feet to see exactly where she is on the power line. Unless something is DRASTICALLY off, you probably won't see it.
To check a pitcher on the power line most folks will take their shoe and draw a fat line in the dirt right in front of the rubber. This is OK and it will help the pitcher, however, it seldom gives the person catching a good point of reference to see EXACTLY where the foot comes down. There is a lot of room for error.
When I have a pitching student that I want to 'fine tune' them, ( because of problems staying on the power line) here is what I do.
Have you pitcher take a pitching position with the power line exactly under the center of her body, feet equally far from the power line to each side.
IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE TO CATCH as your pitcher is throwing, take a position about 8 feet in front of 2nd base and get down on one knee or sit on the power line to where your eyes are directly over it. Do not move the twine while sitting or kneeling.
Have the pitcher throw the same pitch several times and focus only on the legs and especially the feet.
Having a thin and bright colored power line behind the pitcher will give you an exact reference point and you will see exactly where the stride foot comes down in relationship to the power line and any inconsistencies with the feet.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE SOMEONE TO CATCH FOR YOU, set up a video camera at the same spot you were sitting/kneeling down. Make sure the picture shows as much of the power line behind the rubber as you can get in the shot and still see the pitcher at least from the middle of the back down.
Again, have her throw the same pitch several times and then review the tape with her. You will both be very surprised at how much you can tell about the pitcher's motions when you see it from behind.
As an example (R/H pitcher).
If the pitcher is occasionally throwing wide to one side or another she
might very well be crossing over the power line or landing way to the left.
This will be very evident in the rear view. Rewind the tape and watch it
a few more times and you might also discover the pitcher leaning at the
waist to the opposite side of the power line to try and compensate for
the error and still hit reasonably close to the target. Her landing might
not be off by much and she might not be leaning much to compensate for
it, maybe not enough to be evident from 40 feet away when you are concentrating
on catching the ball. You will definitely see it
show up from behind when
you have 100% attention on her feet and the power line. Letting the young
pitcher see it is always beneficial for them.
If you are catching the pitcher, having that bright colored twine power line, going from home plate to 10 feet in front of the rubber, will make it much easier to tell if the pitcher is off the power line without distracting you from the ball coming at you. Never stare at the line, always watch the ball during a pitch. With the line extended you will be able to tell, fairly well, if she is off the line.
Judge the stride length of
your pitcher and you can extend that section of the line closer to the
rubber than 10 feet but make sure it does not get so close she lands on
it or gets her feet caught up in it.
If you do have a video camera,
also try to get shots from the left, right and front views too. There is
also much that can be used for analyzing a pitcher from those angles.
Submitted by: Hal Skinner