Metrics for determining piching volume progression throughout high school?

[BlaineAB]

Last year was a Sophomore
North Penn HS PA

I miss PA, born and raised in the Lehigh Valley.

 

[MadBandit22]

I recently watched a presentation from a D1 college head coach and she touched on the large percentage of freshmen pitchers starting their college experience having pitched too much in high school & travel ball. Interestingly, she did not offer up any potential remedies.

So, what is the extent of the problem?
I don't know how that can be measured, but anecdotally I saw talented freshmen pitchers rack up 150+ inning totals before the travel season even started.

In running, if you have a freshman and a senior that can run similar times, more often than not the frosh does not run the same amount of volume as the senior. Seems obvious as to why.
But I don't see that same type of thing in progressing pitching volume.

More is not always better, but I guess I'm in the minority with that opinion.

Off the soapbox.

It’s up to you to

I recently watched a presentation from a D1 college head coach and she touched on the large percentage of freshmen pitchers starting their college experience having pitched too much in high school & travel ball. Interestingly, she did not offer up any potential remedies.

So, what is the extent of the problem?
I don't know how that can be measured, but anecdotally I saw talented freshmen pitchers rack up 150+ inning totals before the travel season even started.

In running, if you have a freshman and a senior that can run similar times, more often than not the frosh does not run the same amount of volume as the senior. Seems obvious as to why.
But I don't see that same type of thing in progressing pitching volume.

More is not always better, but I guess I'm in the minority with that opinion.

Off the soapbox.

It’s up to you to see that your DD doesn’t get used and abused. Of course anyone that is competitive is going to say I’m fine I want to pitch.

You have to protect athletes from themselves. No different than boxing. If your guy is getting pummeled and seemingly has nothing left throw in the towel. No need to take unnecessary punishment.

As a measure my DD throws 1 complete game or two partials on Sat/Sun TB tournaments.

For HS I believe she will win #1 starter spot. We have a 5’10” Jr who was injured early last season and didn’t play much. My DD is a 5’ 2” Freshman and throws harder than Jr with more pitches so we will see.

In HS the most I will let her throw is 3 games in a week but no back to backs. Ideally two games a week is what I would like to see with at least a day off in between.

Coaches need to be better prepared and know who they are playing. If your playing lesser teams don’t be afraid to use your #2, 3 starter.

Obviously scheduling has a lot to do with who you play and when. So don’t schedule too many tough teams the same week.

 

[BT3100]

I miss PA, born and raised in the Lehigh Valley.

Were playing Parkland on 4-18
Gonna be epic

 

[Northball]

Obviously scheduling has a lot to do with who you play and when. So don’t schedule too many tough teams the same week.

Getting a little off topic, but don't let the AD or coach schedule a Monday game after prom weekend. Too many zombies wandering the field and making the opposing pitcher look like Monica Abbott.

 

[spleen1015]

Everyone wants to talk about over use, but does anyone know of any proven metrics that can be used for guidelines? I have never seen any.

As a parent, I am involved with what happens with my DD. I'm not going to the coach asking for more playing time, but I am talking to the coach when she throws 200 pitches in one day. You can bet she's not throwing much the next week or so.

 

[texasheat]

In HS the most I will let her throw is 3 games in a week but no back to backs. Ideally two games a week is what I would like to see with at least a day off in between.

Wait, you have had this conversation with the coach and they have agreed to it? You set out guidelines to the HS coach?

 

[uncdrew]

There's a pitch count for high school baseball, at least NFHS and legion play,
Why not softball? There's a percentage of coaches that over-pitch players, and high school coaches and travel coaches tend not to communicate about total annual pitching volume.

Absence of injury, in any sport, seems like a weak metric to use for gauging the efficacy of training volume and its progression.

As the dad of a pitcher, I like the idea of pitch counts.

I feel that would let the girls show who's best without potentially breaking them. Sure, no one is monitoring their pitch counts in practice and lessons, but at least on the field it would be held in check.

 

[MadBandit22]

Wait, you have had this conversation with the coach and they have agreed to it? You set out guidelines to the HS coach?

The seAdo

Wait, you have had this conversation with the coach and they have agreed to it? You set out guidelines to the HS coach?

The season has to begin 1st. Then we need to establish the pitching pecking order.

We have a new coach this year. She was a D-3 coach the past 17 seasons. I’m assuming she knows her stuff and will rotate our pitchers as needed.

Dictate? No I’m not going to dictate how she uses all her players. My main concern is my daughters. I won’t let them be abused.

If I see my kids are being over used I will most definitely have a conversation with the HC. If that doesn’t go the way I feel it should then my DD’s may have a sore arm or knee or whatever body part when it’s time to pitch.

Either way they will get necessary recovery time between starts. Hopefully like I said coach will use all the tools at her disposal. That is my expectation.

 

[texasheat]

Oh, I read that as you had already established this rule. You stated it as fact so I assumed you had conversed with the coach and came to an agreement. Nothing against it as I also believe there should be pitch count considerations but most HS coaches are clueless to them. Was just curious as to the approach you used and how that conversation went.

Not sure how HS works up there but here, it's pretty difficult to get overused since other than a few pre-season tournaments they only play one game a day and 2 games a week.

 

[MadBandit22]

Oh, I read that as you had already established this rule. You stated it as fact so I assumed you had conversed with the coach and came to an agreement. Nothing against it as I also believe there should be pitch count considerations but most HS coaches are clueless to them. Was just curious as to the approach you used and how that conversation went.

Not sure how HS works up there but here, it's pretty difficult to get overused since other than a few pre-season tournaments they only play one game a day and 2 games a week.

I did have this conversation with TB coach before we signed-on. He understood and was fine with it. At 5’ 2” she gives her all on every pitch and wears down faster than a bigger girl would I believe.