Question for 12U TB Coaches

DD is moving up to 12U and the few team options we have are holding tryouts in August. What are some things that you look for in the girls- specifically in the batting area. DD is currently acclimated to a pitching machine, and she's nervous about facing live pitching.

Also, what would be some drills to get her familiar with the idea of live pitch. I'm worried that timing will be a big issue.

Thanks!

We're only going up to 12U this year also, but from our experience last year (no machine pitch but we went from coach pitch in 8U to kid pitch in 10U), the move to live pitching can be pretty crazy. Our team last spring did almost all their hitting practice off a machine. The girls crushed it every practice, pretty much across the board. You'd think we'd go win every tournament watching them hit at practice. Put them in a game, nope. None of them hit consistently. I remember DD striking out looking 5x in one tournament last year. lol. I think it's partially about timing, but just as much about the psychological impact of knowing any pitch that girl throws might nail you in the side. Plus, off the machine you know where every pitch is going. It's very predictable. Throw a 9/10/11 year old in the circle and it's a different world. When you face a really good pitcher, your girl probably won't get hit but she's still not going to get those pretty same-speed fast balls down the middle. Every pitch is different. That is, IME, a pretty huge adjustment. DD has gotten better with experience. She actually had her first strike out in 5 tournaments last weekend, quite a run for a girl who struck out looking 5X in one day this time last year. Boy was it a long road to get her hitting where she is now. And of course, next year it's 5 feet further back and she's gotta figure out the timing all over. Get her in front of live pitching as much as you can, I think sometimes they just have to get used to it mentally.

Live pitching can be tricky at this age because she will face pitchers that throw from 30 to 50ish. Working in the on deck circle is critical.

I would want to know who plays when
What practice schedule is

Even though your DD is not a pitcher, I would find out how many pitches and see them if at all possible.

CRay91 said:

DD is moving up to 12U and the few team options we have are holding tryouts in August. What are some things that you look for in the girls- specifically in the batting area. DD is currently acclimated to a pitching machine, and she's nervous about facing live pitching.

Also, what would be some drills to get her familiar with the idea of live pitch. I'm worried that timing will be a big issue.

Thanks!

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If you can teach yourself to throw windmill or at least slingshot that will help. I have been able to do it, albeit a bit awkward looking and at a shorter distance, over the last month or so for
my 7 year old who will be moving up to kid pitch in the fall/spring.

CRay91 said:

DD is moving up to 12U and the few team options we have are holding tryouts in August. What are some things that you look for in the girls- specifically in the batting area. DD is currently acclimated to a pitching machine, and she's nervous about facing live pitching.

Also, what would be some drills to get her familiar with the idea of live pitch. I'm worried that timing will be a big issue.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Just finishing DD3's 2nd year of 12U. Biggest thing we look for is solid mechanics and the coordination to make adjustments. Facing pitchers who can locate and spin the ball poor mechanics breakdown quickly and you need to adjust on the fly to what a pitcher is trying to do to you. It helps to have faced lots of speed but in some respects if your mechanics are sound you can learn to hit speed fairly easily.

It makes me sad that girls who are going into 12U haven't ever faced live pitching. Machine-pitch also breeds a flock of 12U pitchers that are just figuring things out for the first time. SMH

As for the OP's question...The BEST thing you can do is get her hitting moving balls. Lot of them. As often as possible. A real pitcher is ideal, but you front-tossing from 15-20' (with a net for protection!) is also very productive. Learning how to make speed and location adjustments will be her struggle.

Eric F said:

It makes me sad that girls who are going into 12U haven't ever faced live pitching. Machine-pitch also breeds a flock of 12U pitchers that are just figuring things out for the first time. SMH

As for the OP's question...The BEST thing you can do is get her hitting moving balls. Lot of them. As often as possible. A real pitcher is ideal, but you front-tossing from 15-20' (with a net for protection!) is also very productive. Learning how to make speed and location adjustments will be her struggle.

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I was surprised they had MP at 10U...I don't think that is normal. Here in OK only 8U is MP and there are plenty of TB tournaments where 8U is kid pitch.

I wish our 8U program had been machine pitch. I really can't stand coach pitch.

grcsftbll said:

I wish our 8U program had been machine pitch. I really can't stand coach pitch.

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We did hybrid coach-pitch in 8U (coach pitches after 4 balls) for the first half of the season. Second half was all player-pitch. As I understand it, this is pretty standard for CA.

Eric F said:

We did hybrid coach-pitch in 8U (coach pitches after 4 balls) for the first half of the season. Second half was all player-pitch. As I understand it, this is pretty standard for CA.

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35 years ago that is what our league did in baseball for 7 and 8 year olds...of course any pitching machines that existed back then probably weighed 2 tons..