The Windmill pitch is an exact form of pitching. It is called the windmill pitch because the arm goes around in a complete circle just like a windmill. It is important that any pitcher wanting to do this pitch- first learns the proper way to go around in a circle, it requires flexibility, strength and proper form. If you are right handed then you will do the windmill with your right hand while your glove is on your left hand. If you are left handed then you will do the windmill with your left hand while your glove is on your right hand. Depending on who your pitching coach is, they may have you start your pitch in a different way. I personally like my pitchers to first swing their arm back to build momentum before going around in the windmill. In the first picture you can see Kierstin in the process of doing her swing back.
After getting some momentum a pitcher will proceed into the windmill pitch, in doing so the arm will go straight up with the arm completely straight, do not bend the elbow. Once the arm is as high as it can go then the palm needs to flip over so that it is facing behind the pitcher, (toward the 2nd base) the fingers will be above the palm. The arms will be in an L shape, with the pitching arm in it's position and the glove straight toward the catcher. At the same time the arms are making this L, the pitcher will take a step or leap forward with their opposite foot(if your right handed- step with your left foot, if your left handed- step with your right foot.) This is called a stride.
The arm will then continue the rest of the way down to finish the circle, as the circle is being completed the palm is facing forward toward the catcher and the ball is released by being snapped forward (see article on the Perfect Snap) You can see in picture 3 that Kierstin has just completed her snap.
After snapping forward and releasing the ball, there is the follow through. Different pitching instructors have different opinions of how a pitcher will follow through. For information about the way I teach following through see the article the Proper Follow Through.
Kierstin at the end of her pitch
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