- May 22, 2011
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My DD has just ended her years of the 11 in ball and begins with 12 in next week. Would love any advice or drills to help get her adjusted to the new grips.
Thank you in advance!!!
Thank you in advance!!!
Changing from 11 in to 12 in... Drills, advice??
- Thread starter Rachel Phillips
- Start date
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Be patient,if your DD has small hands it will take a while for her speed and control to come back . She is not only facing a larger ball but also a longer distance. The good news though if she has longer fingers her speed will not suffer much and control may actually improve. Make sure she uses her finger tips and not put the ball deep in her hand. Encourage her not to throw a lot of high pitches while she practices. A lot of people on here know a lot more than me so I will leave the rest to them.
My daughter is in the same situation. We have practiced this season with a 12" ball from 40'. We do all the same drills she was doing with the 11". We concentrate on mechanics. The only problem she has had is her hands are smaller so hanging on to the ball is difficult at times. She was using three fingers and thumb with the 11" and had to go back to four and thumb with the 12"
The drills we do are "T's", "K's" and the walk up drill. After that, she works on peel and change up. I follow the Hillhouse video, works great.
The drills we do are "T's", "K's" and the walk up drill. After that, she works on peel and change up. I follow the Hillhouse video, works great.
I have had some experience with a couple of small girls,thats why I mentioned holding the ball with the finger tips.The smallest one is just catching up with others her age speed wise, she just turned 14. Her hands were small enough a fast ball and change were the same pitch.So be patient.
I am substituting a 12" ball about 20% of the time to my 01 DD while we are getting her throws in. I just keep one on the ground by me and rotate it in and call the same pitches regardless of which ball. We won't be going to 12U until next Fall but she is already getting used to it. With her, ball size is irrelevant to velocity. She does struggle with the curve (her newest pitch that she has not mastered yet anyway) but loves to throw change and drop-curve with the 12" ball. Moving back 5' is another story however. That does cut velocity.
- Mar 11, 2009
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ttt
Velocity should not change at all, batter will have a little more time to see pitch as they are five feet further away, but don't put it in your young pitchers mind they they are losing speed and control, its not true.
Velocity should not change at all, batter will have a little more time to see pitch as they are five feet further away, but don't put it in your young pitchers mind they they are losing speed and control, its not true.
All things being equal, you can expect to see reduced velocity when initially pitching with the larger ball.
Assuming the pitching mechanics are the same using the 12" v 11" ball, three factors will make the 12" ball have less velocity by the time it reaches home plate: a) larger surface area of the ball causes more drag on the pitched ball, thereby slowing it down more than the smaller ball; b) the larger ball has a greater weight than the smaller ball which also reduces its speed; and c) that extra 5 feet (from 35' to 40') adds 14% longer distance the ball has to travel, so not only is the ball subject to the additional drag and weight, its also traveling a longer distance to the batter, further reducing its speed.
The good news is that the above factors should make your breaking pitches, break more.
