Chayla Prendergast

"Hi Chayla! It was so fun to meet you this past weekend! You did a great job at the event trying new things and working hard! Strengths- Aggressive off the mound, firm front side, finishes her pitch all the way through Weakness- Your pitching motion is very fast. This allows you to be aggressive, but it also doesn’t give you time for a good weight transfer into your drive off the mound. I suggest bringing your back leg forward a tad, and setting with ball and glove at your waist—> then go above your head and as you come forward be aggressive like usual!! Biggest Mechanic Improvement that will be Impactful: Bring your back leg forward some in your initial set up on the mound would be huge. And also drag just slightly longer if you can. Think about the FB drill we did together FB-Kick, FB-Drag Hold. Biggest Pitch to continue to grow with: Rise! Don’t rush to finish your pitch. Stay in it once you land and try to snap hard and for a long time. This will really help make the pitch jump. Change- You come through the end of this pitch so well! And with as much power as you are creating you are able to really slow it down to 41mph. Continue to work on your consistency with this pitch and then start to locate it to make it great!" -Evaluated by Monica Abbott

"Chayla was incredibly hardworking and always threw the last pitch, which is such a good trait to have– always wanting the ball and knowing it’s in your hand. A huge help for Chayla will be to keep her glovehand in and on line. This will help line up her body to the side of the plate she’s throwing to and also pull her front side forward, helping her transfer. Also, if she gets off of her backside, it will be a lot easier to accelerate through her finish, creating an in-sync finish with her throwing arm and her push off leg. The better in-sync they can be, the more connected her pitch will feel and the easier a consistent release point will be to find. A helpful drill for this would be the “three arm circle drill”. Starting with your body online and then swinging your arm long and loose three times, the third releasing the ball and focusing on pushing off of your back side and finishing with releasing the ball as your foot drags through. This should help with the consistency of your posture and release point." -Evaluated by Alana Vawter (Stanford/South Carolina, Florida Vibe - Pro)

"Avoid angling your toe during the initial push off the pitch; keep your front foot pointed directly towards the catcher without letting it fly out. I love the force you create with your initial push off the mound. To uncover additional power, focus on keeping your back leg engaged throughout the entire pitch and drive your knee towards the catcher. Your arm speed is impressive, but you might lose some power due to unnecessary movements. Try to be looser at release to create more whip. Keep refining these elements, and you’ll find even more power and effectiveness in your pitch! With your changeup, especially given that you throw harder than most, finding the right timing at release is crucial. Focus on planting your front leg sooner and using it as leverage to throw off of. This adjustment will make it easier to replicate the right release more consistently. By repeating this process, you’ll build greater consistency with your changeup and develop more trust in the pitch. Keep working on this, and you'll see significant improvements!" -Evaluated by Karlyn Pickens (Tennessee)