Oct. 29, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team will hold the first-ever Irish Softball Pitching Academy during the month of December in the indoor baseball batting cages of Frank Eck Stadium.
Notre Dame head coach Deanna Gumpf and volunteer assistant coach Brittany O’Donnell will provide three separate 90-minute instructional periods on consecutive weeks to players looking to improve their pitching skills and drill development during the offseason. Players will learn through lecture, video analysis and drill work to maximize both the physical and mental aspects of pitching.
Gumpf, whose coaching staff won a league-best four BIG EAST Conference Coaching Staff of the Year awards during the program’s final 12 seasons as a conference member, is one of three baseball/softball coaches in Notre Dame history to win at least 500 career games. She has mentored a total of eight BIG EAST Pitchers of the Year, one pitcher to BIG EAST Player of the Year honors, four NFCA All-America pitchers and 14 pitchers who have received NFCA All-Region accolades.
O’Donnell graduated in 2013 as the fourth-winningest pitcher in Irish history (.769), was a 2011 all-BIG EAST second team selection, and is the only Notre Dame pitcher in program history to post an undefeated single-season record with at least 10 decisions (10-0 in 2011). She is also ranked in the career top 10 for combined shutouts and strikeouts per seven innings in program history.
Sessions will be offered Monday nights for players in grades three through eight beginning on Dec. 2 (Dec. 2, Dec. 9 and Dec. 16). Players in grades nine through 12 can sign up for sessions that will begin on Dec. 3 (Dec. 3, Dec. 10 and Dec. 17). All instructional periods will run from 7-8:30 p.m. in the indoor cages at Eck Stadium.
The cost of the Irish Softball Pitching Academy is $175.00 per player for the entire three-week session. Each player is required to bring their own catcher, and sessions are limited to 12 players per night. Payment must be made in full, and the academy fee is non-refundable.
For more information, and to register for the pitching academy, contact Notre Dame associate softball coach Kris Ganeff at Ganeff.2@nd.edu.
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