How important are pop times for tryout purposes?

[CMMom1740]

DD is moving up to 14U (she's an '03/class of 2022 player) and will be trying out for a number of A level teams (has been playing B level TB this year). Several are asking for pop times on their registration forms. Given that I don't have much of a basis for comparison, I was wondering about her numbers. I had her hitting/catching coach clock her today. Her best time was 2.08 (glove to glove) and the worst was 2.4. She probably did about 20, and the majority were in the 2.1-2.2 range. Can anyone give me an idea re: how those numbers rank?

 

[CoogansBluff]

Several are asking for pop times on their registration forms.

Curious why teams would ask for pop time on a registration form. Isn't that what tryouts are for? Do they also ask pitchers to state their speed and the number of pitches they've mastered?

 

[catcher22]

My DD is also an "03" moving up to 14U her pop time was clocked at the USA Elite Select Tryout at 1.9

 

[JAD]

Anything less than 2.0 is very good for 14U and I would guess 2.1-2.2 is average.

 

[CMMom1740]

Curious why teams would ask for pop time on a registration form. Isn't that what tryouts are for? Do they also ask pitchers to state their speed and the number of pitches they've mastered?

Yes, for the same team I'm referring to, they do ask pitchers' speed.

 

[CMMom1740]

My DD is also an "03" moving up to 14U her pop time was clocked at the USA Elite Select Tryout at 1.9

That's really good. Hope you're not going to be our competition here in Atlanta! LOL.

 

[Longshot]

Not to throw a wrench in the thread but I have seen pop times vary wildly depending on who is working the stop watch. One coach times a girl with a pop time of 2.0 the next coach says 2.4.

 

[CMMom1740]

Not to throw a wrench in the thread but I have seen pop times vary wildly depending on who is working the stop watch. One coach times a girl with a pop time of 2.0 the next coach says 2.4.

I'm sure that's true. But they asked for numbers and I trust her catching coach WAY more than myself to do it.

 

[Rambler34]

My DD is an 03 that played up in 14's this year. She hit 1.9 at an exposure camp a couple of weeks ago. One big thing to consider is a 1.9 doesn't do her any good if her lease takes another second. Getting quicker at release is as important than improving pop time. That may be something she can work on over the next couple of weeks before tryouts start kicking off.

 

[Seattlecoach]

My DD is an 03 that played up in 14's this year. She hit 1.9 at an exposure camp a couple of weeks ago. One big thing to consider is a 1.9 doesn't do her any good if her lease takes another second. Getting quicker at release is as important than improving pop time. That may be something she can work on over the next couple of weeks before tryouts start kicking off.

Pop time already takes into account how quick your release is since it is timed "glove to glove." A player who takes slightly longer to release but throws harder might have the exact same pop time as a player who releases quicker but has a weaker throw.