12U velocity

[WaSpeed02]

After watching a girl shut our team down with consistent 57-58 mph fastballs today (measured with a Bushnell), I was just wondering how many girls there are out there who can throw that hard at 12U? This is the first time for us. I've seen many cruise the low 50's but this was the first girl to hit high 50's and maintain for 6 innings. Very impressive.

 

[VASoftball Dad]

3 12Upitchers out here in Virginia/ maryland that throw that hard or harder.

 

[JJsqueeze]

I've yet to see one live at any of our tourneys. But I saw a few last year at pgf. 54ish is the fastest our team has seen.

 

[jdp29]

I have one on my team that is 55 indoors, never gunned her in a game. My other is 48-50. I have seen a couple this year that were probably 55. This is second year 12/U. 57 is very fast at 12/U.

 

[go4fpsb]

I have instructed pitching for close to ten years, mostly for girls in our school district. I have had many that get to the 50- 53 range by grade 6-7 which puts most of them in 12U teams. I have one right now that is a second year 12U going into 7th grade that normally throws 55-56 and occasionally 57. Have clocked her on my pocket radar throwing 59 when she does walk thrus. She the only one I have ever worked with that can throw at that speed. Sometimes the softball gods reach down, touch a pitcher and put lightning in her arm, it is their potential and talent that enables them to perform at that level. As a coach I strive to give good instruction and get out of the way.

 

[JAD]

Kids mature at different ages, so there are always a couple of "early bloomers" who are bigger/stronger/faster than others, but pitchers who are significantly faster need to guard against becoming "lazy" and not working to develop other pitches because by 14U and 16U all of the other players have matured too. I cannot tell you how many 12U "phenoms" I have seen become "average" by 16U.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

No one around here. Is she a bigger girl?

 

[starsnuffer]

Like JAD said, it really depends on maturity. 12U is a weird age because of the size and maturity disparity. At that age, focus on throwing as loose and as fast as possible, but doing so to spots. Many, many, many super fast 12u pitchers who blew the ball by their competition with sheer speed were done pitching by 14 because they never learned to place and move the ball; whereas the smaller pitchers who had to get by on placement and movement suddenly catch up in maturity and speed and know how to actually pitch rather than throw end up dominating.

-W

 

[MK37]

Like JAD said, it really depends on maturity. 12U is a weird age because of the size and maturity disparity. At that age, focus on throwing as loose and as fast as possible, but doing so to spots. Many, many, many super fast 12u pitchers who blew the ball by their competition with sheer speed were done pitching by 14 because they never learned to place and move the ball; whereas the smaller pitchers who had to get by on placement and movement suddenly catch up in maturity and speed and know how to actually pitch rather than throw end up dominating.

-W

This is what I did with DD? She turned 13 last October and was 5'2", under 100 Lbs with small hands and a year behind pitching for her age. Decided that it was best to work on mechanics and throwing to spots. She is now almost 5'8" and 108Lbs with hands big enough to take one finger off the seams. Still not the fastest but as she puts on some muscle and weight it will come. She keeps hitters off balance by throwing a drop at different speeds, working spots and a change up.

A friend told me his daughter spent her freshman year at college learning how to pitch. She can't rely on her fastball like she did in high school because one, they never throw a fastball and two, if they did it would get pounded to the fence.

 

[corlay]

50 is the fastest ive clocked (pocket radar) at 12U tournaments this summer (upstate NY)

With a lot of girls in the 46-47-48 range