Throwing a Curveball by Noah Sadler

Throwing my first curveball was a big moment in my life. As a pitcher for my travel team, I knew I had to develop a good curveball if I wanted to be a great pitcher. I was finally old enough to learn how to throw one and I was really looking forward to it. I knew if I threw a curveball too much that it would hurt my arm to the point that I couldn’t throw the rest of my life. I did some research on when to throw and not to throw a curveball in a game. I figured out the best time to throw one was when I had two strikes on a batter with two or less than two balls. When a big batter came up to the plate was when I should throw a curveball first pitch. Researching about curveballs really helped me understand when to throw a curveball and the types of batters I should throw a curveball against

I needed to learn how to throw one. I went on YouTube and the internet to try to find the right grip to use. I searched for a couple days and still couldn’t get the grip right. I asked my dad if he could show me how to throw a curveball. He said yes and every night for a whole week my dad and I went to the field so I could throw my curveball. The first two nights were tough for me, because I was still learning the right grip on the baseball. For the grip my dad said, “Put your middle and index finger to the left of a stich on the ball and throw it like a fastball.” But at the end I need to flick my wrist to get the rotation on the ball that helped it curve. After I got the grip down all I needed to learn was how to throw it for a strike and the right speed. It took me a while to actually throw it for a strike.

Two weeks went by and I still couldn’t throw it for a strike. I was ready to give up and quit. I knew I couldn’t throw a curveball. I was so disappointed in myself. My dad started talking to me about never giving up at anything. “He said, always do your best.” That night I went home and practiced my grip on the ball. I did that for a solid hour. The next day my dad took me to the field and I threw it for a strike over and over again. I was so happy. I thanked my dad for helping me learn a curveball.

I have learned a lot in those three or four weeks. I learned how to successfully throw a curveball and throw it for a strike. I also learned to always work hard on something you start and never quit, even if quitting is the easiest thing to do. I will never quit anything in my life.