Learning to Throw the Roll-Over Drop: A Study Evaluating the Effectiveness of Imagery
Abstract
The use of imagery in sports is very common among elite and non-elite athletes alike.
This proposed study will be done on thirty female high school softball pitchers and will
look at the effectiveness of imagery on learning to throw a roll-over drop pitch. The
girls will be divided into two groups, a video group and a verbal group. The video group
will watch an instructional video on how to throw a drop ball, and the verbal group will
be assigned instructional reading materials containing minimal pictures. All participants
will use imagery for ten minutes prior to physical practice and six times directly before
pitching. It is believed that the video group will produce more vivid imagery and learn to
throw better drop balls than the verbal group.