Ok for new 12u pitcher to pitch in 14u tournament?

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Jul 3, 2016
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My daughter is a pitcher who recently moved from 10u to 12u. She's pitched in one 12u tournament and I just learned that her coach has signed the team up for a 14u tournament for their 2nd tournament. I'm concerned about a few things: (1) will pitching at 43 ft. one weekend negatively impact her accuracy for their third tournament which is a high profile 12u tournament? (2) will it hurt her confidence to get hit a lot by the 14u teams (assuming this may happen with bigger girls and further distance)? and (3) safety concerns about pitching to these bigger stronger girls. What do you all think? Are my concerns valid or is it really not a big deal for a pitcher who has been throwing at 40 ft for 6 weeks to pitch at 43 ft in a 14u B tournament? Appreciate your thoughts
 
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
I wouldn't worry about it too much. The 14U kids will hit it much harder, but this time of year most teams are really 12U teams that just moved up. The 3 feet won't matter to her too much if she was ok moving to 40 feet.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
I'm with canyonjoe fall ball should be mostly new 14U teams although you might have trophy hunting team crush everyone. All in all I would not worry too much.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
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Mid West
8 extra feet and a bigger ball in only a matter of a couple months?.... wow. It's gonna be an adjustment for sure. But, it'll only make her stronger and more confident. If she wins....HUGE BOOST. If they loose.... no biggie, cuz they were 14u. Lol. Win, win scenario
 
Feb 4, 2015
641
28
Massachusetts
Throwing 43' might even help her throw 40' a little harder and more accurately. Think "long-toss" benefits.

Who knows, she might even surprise herself and be more competitive than she expected. Either way, she'll have a new bar to strive for.
 
Jun 19, 2013
753
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Does she wear a mask? I think she's fine in a 14B tourney. I would think twice if it were 14A and she's never really even thrown in 12. It will be challenge for sure - but those things make them stronger right :)
 

bmd

Jan 9, 2015
301
28
This is a tough one. If it were me, I probably would not put my dd in that situation. How long has she been pitching? What is her skill level? How does she feel about pitching in 14u? When my dd moved up from 10U to 12U she struggled with the distance and ball size. After that, going back in forth between 40 and 43 feet (12u and 14u) never really bothered her at all. A couple of months ago my dd was practicing in the back yard and commented that the distance at home seemed a little different than at games.....I shook my head and measured....come to find out shes been pitching at home from 45 for quite some time...lol. Back to your situation, IF she is a slower but very accurate than her opponents, they could very well struggle with the speed difference. IF your team had a pitcher with speed she could come in later in a game and have they could get batters' timing completely off. BUT if she is your team's only pitcher, I wouldn't do it. I will say that my dd has played in b tournaments and a tournaments.....some b teams looked like a teams and some a teams looked like b teams. I have a hard time understanding the rating system...some teams sandbag and are out to bring a piece of plastic home.....
 
Last edited:
Jul 14, 2010
716
18
NJ/PA
Our 14U team faced a 12U team in a tourney a couple of weeks ago, and I was reminded just how big a difference there is between a first-year 12U and a second-year 14U team. After our first time through the lineup our girls were either bunting or batting lefty for the sake of not seriously hurting somebody on the other team. It's a pretty big leap from 10U to 14U in a few months, especially at pitcher. I don't think I'd want my daughter in that situation.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
Our 14U team faced a 12U team in a tourney a couple of weeks ago, and I was reminded just how big a difference there is between a first-year 12U and a second-year 14U team. After our first time through the lineup our girls were either bunting or batting lefty for the sake of not seriously hurting somebody on the other team. It's a pretty big leap from 10U to 14U in a few months, especially at pitcher. I don't think I'd want my daughter in that situation.

Assuming this is a true 2nd yr 14U team that will all be playing 14U next year? and not a team I referenced in my previous post ;) ...but yeah that would mean 11 and 12 year olds against 14 yr olds and for the most part one team has all grown up and the other has not so it could get ugly...of course it all depends on quality but all things being equal the good 14U team will make life pretty rough for a good 12U unless of course the 12U team as a stud in the circle.
 

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