Golden Arm Program

The Golden Arm Program is the pre-cursor to the Purpose Pitch Program and is designed for pitchers starting at age 8.  The Golden Arm Program is designed to help young pitchers choose goals to work towards in their development as a pitcher.   Similar to the martial arts concept of achieving "belts", the Golden Arm Program consists of a series of arm sleeves that the pitcher can strive to attain.  Each colored arm sleeve is achieved by meeting certain criteria that we have established based on many years of experience at all levels.  These criteria are balanced so that a pitcher understands that he must become proficient in the areas of control, velocity, strength and conditioning, understanding of mechanics, different pitches, emotional control and more.  The first level is white and over the years the pitcher can test to move on to the other colors and eventually earn a gold arm sleeve.   The pitcher will start in the Golden Arm Program and eventually move into the Purpose Pitch Program once he achieves the blue arm sleeve.  There is no cost to enroll in the Golden Arm Program and the only cost is for the normal time of the lessons and the cost of the sleeve when achieved.  Here is a list of the band colors and a general idea of what it takes to make it to each level.  In the future, additional levels will be added between the green and blue levels.

White

• Must learn arm-circles and shoulder exercises

• Must learn all warm-up drills

• Must learn all standard pitchers drills

• Must maintain membership to PBSA

Green

• Re-pass all White stage tests

• Pass “green” Band measurements for:

  • Strength, explosiveness, endurance

  • Long throw distance

  • Velocity (Individual MPH)

  • Meet minimum requirements for accuracy via 50 pitch bullpen

• Learn and throw change-up for strikes (minimum %) and velocity difference

• Know all five mechanical “principles”

Blue

• Must join the Purpose Pitch Program

• Pass blue band measurements

  • Strength, explosiveness, endurance

  • Long throw distance

  • Velocity (65 MPH)

  • Meet minimum requirements for accuracy via 50 pitch bullpen

• Learn and throw breaking pitch for accuracy

• Know all five mechanical “principles”

• Game observation

  • Display mound presence

  • Display control of emotions on the mound

  • Hold runners effectively

  • Display effectiveness with at least two pitches

• Meet minimum “low strike” percentage

• Pass test on the following

  • Nutrition

  • Arm health

  • Personal arm health routine

Gold

• Meet minimum requirements for strength (push-ups etc.)

• Pass blue band measurements

  • Strength, explosiveness, endurance

  • Long throw distance (300 ft)

  • Velocity (80 MPH)

  • Meet minimum requirements for accuracy via 50 pitch bullpen

• Know all five mechanical “principles"

• Game observation (3 games)•

  • Hitting spots

  • Meet minimum requirements for velocity

  • Demonstrate control of three effective pitches

  • Meet minimum WHIP and ERA criteria

  • Demonstrate one “nasty” pitch

  • Dominate the other team (at least 2)

Gold +

• • • Hit 90 MPH on the radar gun

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