Thread: 10u pitcher...need advice

Hi,this is my first post,I've been reading through a lot of the post on here and have a few questions.
I have been coaching rec.ball for a couple years and just got nominated as Head coach on a new travel team. DD has been pitching about a year and taking lessons for about 9 months. Her fastball is fairly accurate but she lacks speed,she hasn't ever been gunned so I will just guess that it's 35 to 40. What are some drill to increase speed? Her pitching instructor has her doing her wrist snap where her arm comes straight up towards her ear. She has a change up which is ok,and has just started to learn the riseball which is all over the place,but I don't think that she has the speed to throw a rise yet. That being said what drills are good for the rise and should I question the release/wrist snap that her instructor has her doing?
Any and all advice is welcomed....
1999Coach

Originally Posted by 1999Coach

Hi,this is my first post,I've been reading through a lot of the post on here and have a few questions.
I have been coaching rec.ball for a couple years and just got nominated as Head coach on a new travel team. DD has been pitching about a year and taking lessons for about 9 months. Her fastball is fairly accurate but she lacks speed,she hasn't ever been gunned so I will just guess that it's 35 to 40. What are some drill to increase speed? Her pitching instructor has her doing her wrist snap where her arm comes straight up towards her ear. She has a change up which is ok,and has just started to learn the riseball which is all over the place,but I don't think that she has the speed to throw a rise yet. That being said what drills are good for the rise and should I question the release/wrist snap that her instructor has her doing?
Any and all advice is welcomed....
1999Coach

1999 coach, which riseball are you talking about? How old is your daughter?

How tall and how much does she weigh?

DD is 10 about 4'8" tall and weighs 80-85 poundsI should have stated the team I stated coaching was her 10u travel team.Not sure what the differant riseballs are called but the one she is learning she twist the ball clockwise at release and follow through ends up with her hand just below her chin.

1999Coach

From what I have read on the subject, including the wisdom on this board, DD should not be taught the riseball until she is a teenager, is using a 12inch ball, and has excellent command of the both the fastball and change-up. Regarding increasing fastball speed, I recommend having her pitching from greater and greater distances. For example, if she normally pitches at 35 feet, move her back 3 feet for 15 pitches, and another 3 feet, 15 pitches, etc. until she cannot reach the catcher, then reverse the order to slowly get back to 35 feet. This drill will help build arm and mid-section strength. Make sure she maintains proper form and has good mechanics.

Originally Posted by 1999Coach

DD is 10 about 4'8" tall and weighs 80-85 poundsI should have stated the team I stated coaching was her 10u travel team.Not sure what the differant riseballs are called but the one she is learning she twist the ball clockwise at release and follow through ends up with her hand just below her chin.

1999Coach

Does your instructor have her doing the 'run-through drill' to get her speed up some? (also called the walk through drill in some areas)

Normally a beginner starts off with the fastball, then change up then progresses to a dropball or maybe a curveball. To go to the riseball next is not the usual progessive step but there are always the exceptions to that norm.

However, from the picture I am forming of your daughter, I suspect she does not fall into that exceptional category as I classify them. Teaching her a riseball at her age and size might be hazardous, it is very stressful to the wrist. It sounds like the instructor might be teaching her the cut riseball.

This is a possible red flag to me and I expect many others as well.

Your instructor should know the name of the riseball he/she is trying to teach her. Ask the instructor and let us know.

Hal

We have discussed this recently and I'm sure there are folks who disagree with me, but 10U is way too young to teach a rise ball IMO. I would suggest teaching a change-up, then possibly a peel drop (not turn-over) and or knuckle. If she damages that elbow at this age she'll be done pitching before she's 14 when she should really be learning it.

I also coach 10U travel. If you get a pitcher who can throw 40 AND have command of her change-up, she'll win a lot of games. When I say "command", ask yourself if you're comfortable calling it with a new count or even with a full count. If the answer is yes, she has command. If she can throw a change for a low strike on the corner she will be lethal at 10U.

Yes she does the walk throughs,she has been working on the rise for about 2 weeks,do I need to address this with her instructor?I will ask the type of rise she is being taught.her change is at about 75% of her fastball speed but she needs to work on accuracy because she isn't consistant yet.If I can figure out how I will try to get video and post it here.
Thanks to all....

1999Coach

Originally Posted by 1999Coach

Yes she does the walk throughs,she has been working on the rise for about 2 weeks,do I need to address this with her instructor?I will ask the type of rise she is being taught.her change is at about 75% of her fastball speed but she needs to work on accuracy because she isn't consistant yet.If I can figure out how I will try to get video and post it here.
Thanks to all....

1999Coach

Set up a free account on you tube, upload the video, then copy and paste the link to your post.

A couple of other drills I have our 10U pitchers do are the "knee drill" (some people call them "windmills") and also have them pitch with a 12 inch ball to built arm strength.

IMO - at 10U, if a pitcher can throw 40 and have a real change and can hit spots fairly well she will be very successful in the circle.

Yes, she needs to begin to understand that spin put on the ball at the correct speed will cause the ball to "break" from it's normal trajectory. She also needs to start learning how to put spin on the ball. The "rise" is both very difficult for a young pitcher to learn but can also be very dangerous to learn because of stresses put on shoulder and elbow.

I personally beleive that the best "first breaking pitch" to learn first is the peel drop; less stress on young developing joints and muscles.

The pitcher and dad (mostly dad) need to understand that no pitch will break until there is enough speed. I believe that speed to be somewhere in the mid 50's. Anyone who says that DD throws a 40mph riseball is off their nut (again IMO).

Good luck to you and your DD. Work on mechanics and speed right now, the rest will come in due time.

most of all - LET THE KID HAVE FUN!!!!

I understand that to have ball movement the speed has to be there. Is this something that I should address with her instructor? Are there any drills,or pitching aids to help her work on the proper spin for the various pitches?Any good pitching videos available so a not to educated dad can help his DD properly?We always try to keep it fun and change things up so she doesn't get bored.

1999Coach