What's the most pitches your DD has thrown in one day?

redbirdone · Mar 23, 2015

Have a 10u pitcher. 200 pitches in a one day event is her limit. 125 if it's a two day and then another 125 on day two. This is after talking with her pitching coach and a D1 pitching coach who works closely with her pitching coach. She gets yanked at those limits even if it means no trophy. Her coach is 100% ok with it.

We don't count warmups.

ga_smith · Mar 23, 2015

Just wanted an idea of what other 10u coaches are doing.

MNDad · Mar 24, 2015

Most innings pitched in one game was a HS game last year where she threw 19. I didn't understand it when we had a healthy and very good #2, but it is what it is.

Most innings in one day was 28 at 14U ASA Nationals in 2012. We came up through the losers bracket and she pitched in 5 games on Saturday. Split time the first two, then finished the final three back to back to back, all shut outs including a no hitter. Full disclosure, the last game was all due to defense. She was throwing meatballs by then.

MNDad · Mar 24, 2015

It’s easy to say you wouldn’t let you a pitcher throw that much in a day, but I doubt you’d find anyone who would have handled it differently. She takes good care of her arm with good mechanics, stretching, warming up, icing after games etc. The coach took good care of the girls. The other pitcher wasn’t hurt, but experienced some pain so he pulled her. It’s Nationals, we were down to one pitcher, it’s the final Saturday. DD had no arm issues, college coaches everywhere, they’re in the top ten and she’s rolling strong. Who’s going to pull her?

FWIW the school she committed to first took notice of her that day so it all worked out.

SoCalASABlue · Mar 24, 2015

Out in Left Field said:
The damage may not show up until later and the players are known to hide the issues, particularly when they get to college. We are seeing in HS, that the combo travel/rec and HS pitchers (including my own last year) are losing effectiveness, both mentally and physically. I was just watching the brightest star in 9th grade at a competitor (and all the hype) and, she is now ineffective as a senior. Although we like it because we win, the pitching videos are gone from her profile and she is going to college as a second baseman (not by choice). What a shame that she took down something she spent so much time at I am sure.

Sensible counts need to be established and 200/day for 10u is not appropriate at any time. Five games in a day is not appropriate for anyone, even at nationals. Learning the craft is more important than trying to pitch the most innings in a tourney every week. Since they play so much, it seems they don't have time to learn the craft. Coaches seem to think that strikes and defense are enough, and the arm will last. They aren't and it won't.

Totally agree with OILF on this.

To come up through the loser's bracket and get to the CIF championship game on a Saturday last year, DD pitched two 11 inning games on Thursday with a conservative estimate 400 pitches thrown. DD being the only HS pitcher last year (unfortunately, again this year at least for another couple of weeks) manifested itself into a strained hip flexor that shut her down for all of fall. She has been working with a trainer so (knock on wood) she is much stronger with more stamina - but her HS coach didn't (and still doesn't) give a rat's rear about her arm or any potential long term damage.

It's easy for a parent to say "if her mechanics are good, she should be fine"...she's still your kid that shouldn't have her overall health delegated to a coach that may or may not have a clue or is making decisions based on his/her adult ego...

3bmama · Mar 24, 2015

While I am not a pro, nor do I even have a DD who has been pitching very long, I have to call bull to as long as proper mechanics are in place they can pitch as long as they are effective. I believe that any repetitive motion has the potential to wear out whatever body part is being used. Maybe I wouldn't even be concerned about her throwing arm through college, but I would be concerned about the lifelong injury possibilities. No need for my DD to have 2 back surgeries before 40, as is the case with one former Olympian we know.

MNDad · Mar 24, 2015

Repetitive motion does have the potential to lead to overuse injuries. Pitchers need rest between outings and they need to shut down for a period of time during the year. Fastpitch is no different than baseball in that regard.

In a single outing they can pitch with proper mechanics as long as they're effective. When they tire, effectivness will decline and mechanics start to go. That's where they're at risk of injury.

SoCal_Dad · Mar 24, 2015

Rocketech1 said:
As a mentioned in the original post, I am partly venting my displeasure with the coaches decision to pitch her so much in one day when they have a perfectly effective pitcher as #2 that they didnt even care enough to at least warm her up. This wasn't championship Sunday but Saturday and had we won the game they would have had to win 5 games the next day to earn a PGF berth. My DD was completely exhausted and would not have been effective the rest of the tournament. The other team used 3 pitchers that game. Just short sighted by our coaches in my opinion. Seems like they were sending a message to pitcher #2 at my daughters expense?

It was bracket games and a qualifier. I agree your coaches were short-sighted and rode their #1 into the ground instead of going with a plan that gave them a better shot at qualifying and was best for their players well-being. You need to make the coaches aware of your DD's condition after pitching so much on Saturday.

Secondly, I was wondering what others have experienced and whether there was any long term fatigue/injuries from pitching so much.

The risk goes up with frequency - doing it repetitively throughout the season/year is much worse than doing it once at Nationals when they can take an extended break afterward.

Too many top young pitchers don't reach their full potential due to overuse-related injuries rather than from lack of development. A couple of 2014 examples are Ta'amilo (UCLA) and Parks (AZ) who pitched their teams to top ASA/USA finishes in 2009 12U (1st/2nd) and 2010 14U (top 5).

riseball · Mar 24, 2015

3bmama said:
While I am not a pro, nor do I even have a DD who has been pitching very long, I have to call bull to as long as proper mechanics are in place they can pitch as long as they are effective. I believe that any repetitive motion has the potential to wear out whatever body part is being used. Maybe I wouldn't even be concerned about her throwing arm through college, but I would be concerned about the lifelong injury possibilities. No need for my DD to have 2 back surgeries before 40, as is the case with one former Olympian we know.

You may want to raise you expectations to what is considered effective. I have yet to see any pitcher go beyond 200 pitches in a day and remain to be what I consider effective.

sluggers · Mar 27, 2015

A) It was wrong for the coaches to pitch her that much. Two games during a day...sure. Three, no.

B) My DD used to do that regularly in TB. She did it a couple of times in college. (That was then...before studies showing that over pitching was a threat to softball pitchers.)

I do *not* recommend it. However, when faced with the situation, there are some keys to do it successfully:

a) Warmups should be limited to just getting loose. No working on pitches or control or anything. Just enough to get loose.
b) Between games, she sits in the shade. No running, jumping, etc.
c) During the game, she pitches. No batting, no base running. Nothing. Just pitching.
d) During the game, she throws strikes and avoids walks if at all possible.

In a single outing they can pitch with proper mechanics as long as they're effective.

Repetitive motion causes damage no matter how good the mechanics.

Some people are more prone to injury than others, so one kid can get hurt throwing a 1000 pitches while another one doesn't. But, mechanics doesn't have anything to do with it.

What's the most pitches your DD has thrown in one day?

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