Live pitching and hitting in practices

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Jul 27, 2015
235
43
I heard one of our coaches say: "At 14u, the girls no longer need to see live pitching in practices." At 12u, I think we saw live pitching in practices maybe 4 times the entire year so this should not have surprised me, but of course it did. I about had an eternal meltdown when I heard this. No surprise, we are not a high scoring team. I love the coaches in terms of their ability to coach and how they treat the girls. I scratch my head at these notions.

If not done properly, live pitching and hitting can bog down a practice, but it still has to be done occasionally...especially before the first game of the year when the girls have not seen a 50 mph pitch in 1.5 months. There is no way they are going to have their timing down.

So am I just crazy? My daughter has seen or participated in practices with a few A teams, and they were hitting live pitches in practice just about every time I saw them. One team we saw had it as a station - the girls got 8-10 swings and that was it.
 
Jun 18, 2013
322
18
I heard one of our coaches say: "At 14u, the girls no longer need to see live pitching in practices." At 12u, I think we saw live pitching in practices maybe 4 times the entire year so this should not have surprised me, but of course it did. I about had an eternal meltdown when I heard this. No surprise, we are not a high scoring team. I love the coaches in terms of their ability to coach and how they treat the girls. I scratch my head at these notions.

If not done properly, live pitching and hitting can bog down a practice, but it still has to be done occasionally...especially before the first game of the year when the girls have not seen a 50 mph pitch in 1.5 months. There is no way they are going to have their timing down.

So am I just crazy? My daughter has seen or participated in practices with a few A teams, and they were hitting live pitches in practice just about every time I saw them. One team we saw had it as a station - the girls got 8-10 swings and that was it.

I think the issue that some teams have is, who threw those live pitching stations? If a team doesn't have a coach that can throw live pitching then they have to put one of their pitchers up there to do it and some might not want to risk wearing an arm out or injury to one of their limited number of pitchers.
 
Jul 27, 2015
235
43
I was not clear (no surprise.) I was referring to having the pitchers on the team pitch to their own team. I am trying to figure out if am just crazy to think this is a huge deal. In my opinion, a coach, even throwing from 20 feet away behind a net, just can't match a batter seeing a live pitch from a girl. I know the math: a coach throwing x mph from 20 feet gets the ball there the same time as a girl throwing 50 mph from 43 feet. While technically that is true, coach pitch vs a girl pitch is not the same.

I don't see how the girls can get their timing down if the only time they see a real pitch during games. I am all for coaches pitching behind the net. I just think there needs to be more at times.





I think the issue that some teams have is, who threw those live pitching stations? If a team doesn't have a coach that can throw live pitching then they have to put one of their pitchers up there to do it and some might not want to risk wearing an arm out or injury to one of their limited number of pitchers.
 
Feb 20, 2015
643
0
illinois
I agree with you. You can do all the tee work, side toss etc you want to hone your swing, but nothing beats actually facing live pitching in my opinion. Every team should have at least 3 pitchers that can throw live pitches in practice. Use it as practice for them as well. Don't have them throwing meatballs just so the hitters can hit. Have them actually pitching.

If you just want girls getting reps in at hitting, a coach pitching front toss to them gets that done.
 
Sep 17, 2009
1,637
83
Every team should have at least 3 pitchers that can throw live pitches in practice. Use it as practice for them as well. Don't have them throwing meatballs just so the hitters can hit. Have them actually pitching.

I'd love to hear how to do this on a field (or fields) without slowing down practice or have kids standing around. Be as specific as possible. I'm happy to buy screens, etc. anything to make this work better on an open field (ie, not in a cage). TKS.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
I'd say about 75% of every single practice I've conducted this year had live pitching to some degree. Usually it's me pitching, but occasionally well use our girls. Wether it be a simple "at bat" or a full bucket.... typically they'll go through stations, where they'll get a dozen tcb heavies, then a dozen front toss bunts, and finally about 15 live full swings and about 5 or 10 live bunts.
In bp I'll keep the speed around 40-45mph, and in live practice, I'll work spins and mix speeds between 30 and 55mph.... this has served us pretty well.
 
Last edited:
Aug 12, 2014
644
43
I'd love to hear how to do this on a field (or fields) without slowing down practice or have kids standing around. Be as specific as possible. I'm happy to buy screens, etc. anything to make this work better on an open field (ie, not in a cage). TKS.

This is my question as well. Having live pitching (even coach pitching) uses the whole field so you can't get other stations going. I'd love to hear how coaches work this out.
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
I'd love to hear how to do this on a field (or fields) without slowing down practice or have kids standing around. Be as specific as possible. I'm happy to buy screens, etc. anything to make this work better on an open field (ie, not in a cage). TKS.

Give me the number of players, number of competent pitchers and number of those capable of catching in a pinch and I'll write up a proposal.
 
Aug 19, 2015
1,118
113
Atlanta, GA
Parent here, not a coach, so take as you will. What is your opinion on the use of pitching machines in practice? My DD has encouraged these for the first time within the last month at TB tryouts and at her first practice. They are generally set at mid-50's.
 

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