No Pitching ?

[obbay]

I can see how that could happen.

Ask everyone to try it and see how they do or ask for volunteers first. try to have 3 pitchers and rotate them through, maybe 2 per game/3 innings each. have them understand you are not looking for K's, just let the batters get the ball in play and let the fielders do their job. (It's possible your entire team could pitch)
Plan on having an additional practice every week for just pitchers. You can't take time away from the team at every practice to work with pitchers- there's too much work to be done. try to get a minimum of 3 kids who want to do it and try to get them to work between practices - teach the parent(s) what you're looking for and make sure they understand this is for fun and not to be critical of the kid.

I know of one relatively unathletic kid who wanted to pitch at U12. she kept working away quietly on her own. went to clinics. began taking lessons. all of a sudden in 8th grade she could pitch! (not lights out, but she could throw) she moved up to the senior League (U16 LL) and became her team's main pitcher. as a freshman, she will either pitch on the Freshman, JV or both teams.

worst case- you have a 6 run limit per inning.

I have the opposite problem- 2 great pitchers and a team that can't hit it's way out of a wet paper bag!

 

[RetiredCoach]

Ensure that your league has a maximum runs per inning rule. When I coached Rec Ball it was 5. This will help until you get your pitchers developed.

 

[FrozenRope]

My DD team had their first practice last night (12U Little League). I have the opportunity to manage/coach the team...

What do you do when you have no pitching?

This is why so many coaches at that level have a daughter that pitches...gotta start somewhere....why not your own kid!!

 

[JAD]

This is why so many coaches at that level have a daughter that pitches...gotta start somewhere....why not your own kid!!

Most people have no idea how much time and effort goes into developing a good pitcher....most are throwing 3-4 days a week above and beyond their regular practice times. It is not for everyone and if the parents do not "buy in" to the process it is difficult to succeed.

 

[shelbysdad]

So true. We spent so much time pitching and going to lessons there was no time for hitting lessons or hitting practice. Big hurdle when we moved to TB and decided to stop pitching.

 

[dbronstein]

I can see how that could happen.

Ask everyone to try it and see how they do or ask for volunteers first. try to have 3 pitchers and rotate them through, maybe 2 per game/3 innings each. have them understand you are not looking for K's, just let the batters get the ball in play and let the fielders do their job. (It's possible your entire team could pitch)
Plan on having an additional practice every week for just pitchers. You can't take time away from the team at every practice to work with pitchers- there's too much work to be done. try to get a minimum of 3 kids who want to do it and try to get them to work between practices - teach the parent(s) what you're looking for and make sure they understand this is for fun and not to be critical of the kid.

I agree with this. When you're starting from scratch, you need more time than you'll have in practice. Make sure you include every girl who wants to try it. Don't exclude anyone because you never know who will develop. Encourage everyone who wants to give it a shot.

 

[BT3100]

Most people have no idea how much time and effort goes into developing a good pitcher....most are throwing 3-4 days a week above and beyond their regular practice times. It is not for everyone and if the parents do not "buy in" to the process it is difficult to succeed.

Exactly!!
My DD had two bad games in REC last year (majors) she just turned 10. They asked her to play up and we were hesitant but let her play. She pitched good for 3 games then hit the skids for 2 games. The coach thought it would be a good idea to have his kid pitch. She never pitched an inning before. I guess he figured she would be better than DD
That was fun. She pitched one inning and that was it. She is a great athlete and will do well but with without the years of coaching and training it's near impossible. The good ones make it look easy.
DD came back on a mission and took one of the 3 spots for the All Star Team.
My advice... Ask all of the girls to pitch in a practice setting. All of em. Then pull the top 3-4 (based on talent) aside and gauge interest.
Then speak to the parents and ask if they would be willing to commit. If so take the pitchers and catchers to a pitching coach 2 times per week for the next 5 weeks. It will be a huge help to both pitches and catchers.

 

[3bmama]

Happened to a Team in our League last year. HC threw windmill, leg drive and pretty much everything you read here out the window. They taught their pitchers to slingshot the ball and did really well.

When I coached my dds 10u rec team(bc no one else would) I had only 1 second year 10u on the team. She wanted to be a pitcher but apparently she didnt get to the year before bc she didn't go to practices(i don't know) anywho, she took some lessons I guess and was throwing hard, not too many strikes, pouty when she wasn't pitching or playing first and missed half the games.
My best pitcher had moved up to 10u and happened to have been on the 8u team I was volun-forced to Coach the previous year(this team was supposed to have been drafted fairly by ability, no coach was there to represent the team-ha! The team was clearly based on the fact that they knew one of us would get suckered in to coaching 5 of the 11 girls had parents who were forced before)
Anyway, since she was just starting with no PC we totally forgot all the other stuff and went with a slingshot type pitch. She was really good for a 9 year old without any bit of instruction. She decided she wanted to be a pitcher and is apparently fantastic. We moved away,but the rec league wouldn't let her pitch at 12u bc she was too good. (She was on the Orgs competitive team that requires them to play rec). Moral of this long winded story is a windmill and drive isn't required. At first the best thing to do may be to KISS.

 

[PEPPERS]

When DD is home for the summer from college she helps coach a rec team, she wants to be a math teacher and coach, it gives her experience and she has discovered it also gives her good references for college courses which some require. It would seem that in your area someone maybe a high school or college player aspiring to be a coach someday maybe willing to help. It would help both you and them.

 

[YoungBuck]

26 - 2 last night. Still looking for that pitcher...