Support
Can't find what you need below? Send an email to ballspeed@joeltelling.com. Responses are best-effort — this is a one-person app.
My speed reading seems way too high or way too low.
A few common causes:
- Distance setting is wrong. In Settings, pick the preset that matches your pitching distance (MLB 60.5 ft, Little League / Youth 46 ft, Middle School 54 ft) or enter a custom value. The same elapsed time produces very different mph at different distances.
- Audio trigger picked up the wrong sound. In a noisy environment (or with the mic too close to you), the app may register a crowd sound or talking as the impact. Try adjusting sensitivity in Settings, or switch to Tap-Tap mode where you control both start and stop.
- Capture method timing was off. In Tap-Tap or Hold modes, you're timing by hand — human reaction variability can add or subtract tens of milliseconds. Take a few pitches and look at the average rather than any single reading.
Which capture method should I use?
Audio is the most hands-off — great when someone else is pitching and you can hold the phone somewhere stable. Tap-Tap is the most reliable — tap at release, tap again at impact. Hold is easiest for solo use — press and hold as the ball is released, let go when it lands. All three are selectable in Settings at any time.
Does Ball Speed work offline?
Yes, completely. Ball Speed has no network features, no accounts, and no cloud backup. Every pitch you record is stored locally on your phone. You can use it at a field with no signal, on a plane, or anywhere else.
Does the app work for softball?
Yes. The pitching distance is configurable, so any softball distance (including fastpitch 43 ft) works — just enter your distance as a custom value in Settings. The capture methods are sport-agnostic.
Will my pitch history survive reinstalls?
iOS keeps a local backup of the app's data tied to your device and iCloud backup settings. If you delete and reinstall the app on the same device with iCloud backups enabled, your history may be restored. If you move to a new device, whether history transfers depends on your iCloud settings. We do not operate any cloud backup ourselves.
Does the app collect any data about me?
No. See the Privacy Policy for details. Nothing you do in the app is transmitted off your device.
How do I reset everything?
In Settings, tap "Reset to defaults" to restore default settings and re-show the onboarding flow. To clear your pitch history specifically, go to the History tab and use "Clear All."
Still stuck? Email ballspeed@joeltelling.com with your iPhone model, iOS version, and a short description of what you were doing when the issue happened. A screenshot helps.