|
February 13, 2010
It is very difficult to find the right pitching instructor who can build a positive attitude in a child and teach proper mechanics. Our daughter Jasmine, spent a year and several months learning how to pitch using improper mechanics that would have caused injury to her shoulder and back. In addition, she was losing motivation to learn how pitch because her pitches were getting hammered or short hopping to the plate. Before we decided to switch to Jimmy, Jasmine came to us frustated and crying, asking us why she wasn't progressing with over a year of training and hard work! As parents this is one of the most difficult things to hear from your child who has the dedication and heart needed to progress. What are we supposed to do? How do we fix it because we are not pitching instructors. So. we decided to make a dramatic change by coming to Jimmy.
At our first lesson Jimmy asked us what are we looking for in her pitch? We told him movement, speed and accuracy. We must say we were very impressed! After some assement, Jimmy was able to identify some important mechanical errors in the rearward motion of the pitch, which resulted in a stiff shoulder and problems with the snap. The initial lesson resulted in an increase of pitch speed by 3 mph! Using Right View Pro and Rev Fire during later lessons, Jimmy was able to teach her about ball movement in relation to pitch velocity. Using Rev Fire she saw how much spin she had on the ball, which was not fast enough to make the ball drop. Right View Pro showed her the entire pitching motion and uncovered timing problems, mechanical errors and oh my goodness let's get back to the blueprint! Thankfully, Jimmy kept what he liked and rebuildt the rest. Jasmine has learned so much in such a short time. You know, the why part of the pitch. She has never had so much fun coming to any lesson, let alone pitching. The part we are so impressed with is how Jimmy has helped her learn to be confident. Without confidence they can't pitch effectively. Here we are 13 lessons later and Jasmine has a nice downball with lots of movement, a very effective change-up and stands on the mound looking like ok who's next? We as parents invest so much time, money and emotion in our children. We hope to help them learn to be just not a pitcher, but a great one! So much so that at times we can make rash decisions in finding the right instructor. Parent to parent speaking, don't have HIGH expectations with LOW patience. See Jimmy, He will teach YOU and YOUR CHILD this position. So save yourself time and money and visit Jimmy
Troy and Susan Temple
Parents of Jasmine Temple
Year after year when you read about softball teams in our local papers there is a good chance the pitcher is a student of Jimmy's. From the beginner to the college athlete Jimmy's pitching philosophy and style is right on. No reinventing the wheel just the proper techniques and mechanics to insure maximum performance and safety. Jimmy backs it up with video analyzes from the world's best men and women fastpitch pitchers. You can pay more and travel farther but you will not get a better pitching instructor.
Steve Drewrey
Father of Cal Berkeley pitcher Marissa Drewrey
July 07 2008
After five years of taking my daughter to a different pitching coach, we decided we needed a change. I felt there was some mechanical problems in my daughters pitching motion and I just couldn't figure out what it was or how to correct it. She was beginning to experience low back problems and this was creating even more problems because she would change her form so that she pitch and so her back didn't hurt. After watching 100's of college games on TV and travel ball games I knew there was something wrong with her mechanics. At our first lesson with Jimmy, my daughter threw very hard and very accurate but Jimmy saw something out of balance. He immediately video taped her with "Right View Pro" and put her next to three of the top pitchers in the nation. It might be hard to imagine but divide your television in to four parts and put your daughter in one section and three pitchers like Jennie Finch, Cat Osterman and Jamie Southern in the other three. In slow motion frame by frame with the clicking of a mouse we saw my daughters form was actually pretty good for three quarters of her motion but when she planted she had her weight forward but was dragging so hard she arched her back causing low back problems. With the speed of the fastpitch motion , I believe the only way to truly correct the technical aspect of a pitchers motion is to use a program like this. Since the first lesson, my daughters drag has improved and her back rarely gives her problems. It has been only five months since we started with Jimmy and I see improved speed, more movement and more importantly no more back pain so she can practice more often. The great thing about taking pitching lessons at the Academy with Jimmy he is still improving the video program. Now he has cameras set up to video at every lesson if needed because of a technical problem it takes less than five minutes to record the motion, talk about it (as he compares it with the best) and get your daughter back to her lesson. An instructor just can't see arm angles, plant angles, weight transfer, release, finish and drag by just playing catch. Video has the ability to do just that and Jimmy's students get it with their lesson!!! Parents, Players and Coaches can appreciate the instant feed back and you know you are getting every penny worth in a lesson. Now I have three high school pitchers, four fourteen U pitchers, and four 10U including my two daughters taking lessons from Jimmy, one is fourteen and one nine. All have been videoed and it is amazing to see the progress in each player if you have the specific aspects of the pitching motion to work with.
I saw the video at the first lesson and I see it every time I enter the building and the only thing to describe what he does is, "Wow"!!!
Donnie Donaldson
Ceres High Softball
Tri County Smash Softball
September 2007
We have known Jimmy Dyson for 12 years; he began teaching our oldest daughter how to pitch when she was 10 years old. My daughter Megan was totally clueless on how to hold the ball or how to even move her feet. Jimmy over the years not only taught her how to throw the ball but how to become one of the elite pitchers around. Jimmy takes each pitcher as an individual helps them to learn not only the fundamentals of pitching but also the mental part of the game. He helped Megan through her grammar school years, high school and then through college.
While Megan was growing and learning our youngest, Taylor decided she wanted to take lessons from Jimmy. She started watching Jimmy and Megan at the age of four years and by the time she was 9 years old she had taken her first trip, one of many, to the mound at Rainbow Fields.
There have been many games our daughters have played in which they have both said after the game "Thank God" for "Jimmy". Jimmy is not only a great mentor for the girls, he's their friend and hero.
Jimmy taught our girls what dedication truly means and how movement on the ball is everything!
Parents over the years have asked us what we think of Jimmy as an instructor and we have been telling them over the last 12 years, if you want your child to learn from the best go to "Jimmy Dyson". Jimmy's stats tell all when you see all his girls in the paper every week during high school softball and hear of all the girls he has taught go on to college with softball scholarships (our daughter included). His wall shows a small part of what he has done for all our different community's.
Our daughter Taylor is now 16 years old and is still going to Jimmy, we are in the first stages of getting ready for college as she is now a junior. Jimmy helps all his students get prepared for their next step. He is now preparing Taylor for the making of her college video; he also makes sure she knows the importance of grades and of SAT/ACT testing. Another important factor is playing for good coaches on a competitive team that will showcase her talents. Jimmy has played an important role in making sure this has happened.
One of Jimmy's best attributes is that he has never once said no to anyone willing to work hard and listen to his instructions. He has given 110% to each of our daughters; I have sat in many warehouses with him as he gives all his time, patience and knowledge to each and every girl. One thing that still amazes me is seeing a girl come in for her 1st time trying to pitch, and then seeing her again maybe 3-8 months later and not believing it's the same girl!!!
I can't tell you how grateful my husband and I are for everything Jimmy has done for our girls.
For all you softball parents out their "Jimmy Dyson" is the BEST!!!
We have proof!
Kevin and Sandy Gross
Parents of Megan and Taylor Gross
|
We Video- the student is the Star. 
We have structured Work
outs - Some times as long as an hour and thirty minutes. 
Students have to compete. 
Students pitch next to some of the best college and high school pitchers in northern California! 
Parents and students are able to view the ball flight to the catchers on our TV monitors... You hear "WOW" throughout the Academy. 
Students have access to counselor, coaches, and parents that have been there, done that! 
Jimmy's does not charge his students for their college pitching DVD.