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Aug 10, 2016
686
63
Georgia
I was reading through the minimum requirements for the National Team and some of the stats seem way out of DD's range right now. The only thing she is close to is the running stats but we've never measured pitching/throwing speeds.

She's a consistent pitcher but not a very fast one because I know there are things she is doing wrong.
She's a good hitter but doesn't hit very far because she doesn't swing fast/hard enough.

DD is 11 playing in 12U and played MS with girls who play 14U. The size difference is kind of daunting.
She's about 80-90lbs (not sure since we haven't weighed her in a while) and under 5ft.
Obviously a lot has to do with puberty and she will fill out more after that but I'm concerned she won't ever be able to hit as hard/throw as hard because she is small.

Are there things she can work on now to get stronger - she's been trying to lift weights and do push-ups but she's not consistent with that.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Just giving your DD time to grow will help improve her performance. My DD gained @ 5 MPH per year on her pitching from 12-14U and most of the that was growth and maturity with some improvements in her mechanics and core strengthening.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
DD until recently has been small.

I can honestly tell you none of her coaches cared, it was my concern not hers or coaches.

(Probably going to get me in trouble, DD had a player on Team bigger then DD but still small. She complained about it as DD was starting.. Maybe one of the best things that happened to DD and me.)
 
Last edited:
Nov 25, 2012
1,437
83
USA
Just giving your DD time to grow will help improve her performance. My DD gained @ 5 MPH per year on her pitching from 12-14U and most of the that was growth and maturity with some improvements in her mechanics and core strengthening.

^^^^^What JAD said. Just give it time and keep her playing as long as she loves it. She is still young and every year she will get stronger. Those standards are set-up for girls born in 98,99, and 2000. They are way down the road for your DD so don't think to much about it.

Most importantly (IMO) keep it fun and the rest will come as long as she loves the game
 
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
Your DD is 11 and you are worried about the National team? Get her good instruction and encourage her to enjoy playing this great game. The rest will either come or it won't.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
There's probably a growth spurt coming. Last year we were first year 10U and the 2nd year girls seemed so huge. Now we're 2nd year 10U and the 07s look tiny. But the 05s still look huge. lol At this age they all just seem to grow at different rates, though of course some of them will stay little. We use our tiny pitcher to throw off batters who've caught up to our bigger, faster pitchers. And she's also lightning fast. She can lay down a bunt at be at 1B before the fielders can blink. There are advantages :)
 
Jun 11, 2012
741
63
Give her time. My DD is not a pitcher but she started high school at 4'11" and started junior year at 5'5 1/2" and I don't think she's done yet. Some kids grow early, some kids grow late. DD is now taller than all but two of the kids she played 12U ball with and she towers over the 2 who were the tallest then
 
Dec 8, 2015
249
18
Philadelphia, PA
I was reading through the minimum requirements for the National Team and some of the stats seem way out of DD's range right now. The only thing she is close to is the running stats but we've never measured pitching/throwing speeds.

She's a consistent pitcher but not a very fast one because I know there are things she is doing wrong.
She's a good hitter but doesn't hit very far because she doesn't swing fast/hard enough.

DD is 11 playing in 12U and played MS with girls who play 14U. The size difference is kind of daunting.
She's about 80-90lbs (not sure since we haven't weighed her in a while) and under 5ft.
Obviously a lot has to do with puberty and she will fill out more after that but I'm concerned she won't ever be able to hit as hard/throw as hard because she is small.

Are there things she can work on now to get stronger - she's been trying to lift weights and do push-ups but she's not consistent with that.

If everyone could hit the standards they wouldn't be very useful. To play for the national team, you have to be the best of the best. Not everyone, no matter how hard they work, or how big they are will reach that level. It's ok.
 

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