When to start teaching breaking pitches

[SOFTBALLCRAZY]

what is a good age to start teaching riseball, screwball, etc.

 

[sluggers]

It is more of a question of skill level then age. Teaching a 16YOA girl a rise when she can't throw a fastball won't work. On the other hand, you can start teaching breaking pitches to a 10 or 11YOA girl if she has good fundamentals.

 

[Ade's Dad]

what is a good age to start teaching riseball, screwball, etc.

What they said and when she starts getting bored of the same old stuff.

 

[Axe]

My 10YO has been pitching for a couple of years. We've focused on the FB and gaining speed and hitting locations. She recently learned a flip change it its getting better. A lot of her friends are learning things like curveballs. My question is this, my DD has very small hands (she has to grip an 11" ball with all 4 fingers) can she even manipulate the spin of the ball enough to effectively throw movement pitches or would they just end up being the same as her FB (except maybe slower)?

 

[quincy]

The below thread just discussed small hands. Some of the advice was find a grip that works for her and work on P's fingers.

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/8386-small-hands-breaking-pitches.html

For my own sake I am hoping 50 is not to young to start.

 

[Groundhog32]

My experience... and it's not extensive. But girls that start learning the curve ball and screw ball at 11 and 12 are the girls that don't have very good speed and poor mechanics/fundamentals. And they are the ones that are usually done pitching by 14 because their accuracy has gone to hell. I should probably explain a little more, I'm talking about the parents that start pushing the idea to the girls, so instead of the Pitching Coach teaching the athlete a different pitch when they are ready, the parents are pushing it to the girl and wanting her to have 8 pitches. I don't know who coined the term first, but I know Nancy Evans preaches it, "Pitching is Monotonous Repetition". Get the Fundamentals down extremely well and work on strength, leg drive, and have all their energy going down the power line.

A well targeted fastball (Peel Drop) and a Change Up will get you a long ways.

 

[sluggers]

Several onlookers at some recent showcases (not sure who is a travel coach, college coach, pitching coach, parent or onlooker, as none were famous, except I recognized one former player) were bemoaning the dearth of movement, the over-reliance on the FB, and if movement, the dearth of good movement at speed.

Most likely caused by everyone's fascination with teaching multiple pitches, resulting in the pitcher not being capable to throw *ANY* breaking pitch.

This stuff about teaching kids multiple pitches is fantasy.

 

[Groundhog32]

Screwball, I agree with most of what your saying (movement pitches are helpful). However, I have seen 13 and 14 years olds working on a screw-rise. These girls can't throw a rise nor a screw. What what make them think, or their PC, they will ever be able to control a screw-rise with any kind of control, or be able to adjust something to fix it.

 

[EP Dad]

IMO you have to learn multiple pitches to figure out which ones you can throw effectively. Everyone is different. Then specialize in the pitches you can throw well.

 

[Jojo]

Most likely caused by everyone's fascination with teaching multiple pitches, resulting in the pitcher not being capable to throw *ANY* breaking pitch.

This stuff about teaching kids multiple pitches is fantasy.

I had a recent 13yr old leave me for another instructor because I wouldn't teach her ALL the pitches. She was still struggling with her fastball mechanics and her change and drop needed a lot of work as well.
She's only been gone 6 weeks, but now she does indeed have ALL the pitches, she's about 5-7 mph's slower because her mechanics have gone way off--she also runs forward now upon release and all her pitches are basically just fastballs thrown somewhere, somewhere but near the plate because nothing is going anywhere near the plate.

It is frustrating to watch, but the parents are the ones that have to decide what is best for their DD.
I believe in quality over quantity, but some do not.
I also had a parent of a 9yr old student leave me for the very same reason. She has ALL the pitches as well at just 9, and all I see from her is crying fits when her dad yells at her because they are not "breaking".

As far as what age to teach screwball or riseball?

I will teach the rise spin to 12-13yr olds that have good speed, mechanics, control and a good change & drop.
We just work on the spin for awhile until were ready to pitch it. I do have some 14yr olds pitching it.

14U I like to work in the screwball but only if the above conditions exist.