“Pitching Drought”

[Softball scholar]

Go for it!!

A very wise person (college coach as well) told me our first year of pitching that the successful kids have these qualities:
1) Desire to pitch
2) Some athleticism
3) Involved parent
4) Parent with lots of time and/or money

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True, I would add you need patience for the athlete and parent. There will be ups and downs, and sometimes being a pitcher can be brutal on a kid when things arent going well or you're not getting mound time after you put in a big time and money investment. Also, its the glory position and they're involved in the game and it can be fun. I say keep in mind its a commitment.

 

[Agbracing]

Part of the pitching problem in my opinion is parents and kids wanting to throw 8 pitches while still in 10u. They are not willing to spend the time and money to build a solid foundation for long term success. They are being taught all the pitches and never really learning how to make a basic fastball and change up work. At one time it was all about velocity but then it started being the trend to not discuss velocity (unless your dd was fast) but how many pitches a girl can throw. And coaches are somewhat to blame for this also.

 

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

True, I would add you need patience for the athlete and parent. There will be ups and downs, and sometimes being a pitcher can be brutal on a kid when things arent going well or you're not getting mound time after you put in a big time and money investment. Also, its the glory position and they're involved in the game and it can be fun. I say keep in mind its a commitment.

Agreed - which has me giving second thoughts about it. My daughter as is does not have a day off between cheer and softball. And when she does I want her to not think about the game unless she wants to watch it on the tube which Im fine with. I understand the fact that pitching is gold in this sport.

Part of the pitching problem in my opinion is parents and kids wanting to throw 8 pitches while still in 10u. They are not willing to spend the time and money to build a solid foundation for long term success. They are being taught all the pitches and never really learning how to make a basic fastball and change up work. At one time it was all about velocity but then it started being the trend to not discuss velocity (unless your dd was fast) but how many pitches a girl can throw. And coaches are somewhat to blame for this also.

The team we just left asked all potential pitchers for this year how many and what kind of pitches they threw. The options were fastball, change up, curve, screw, rise and drop ball. Keep in mind this was a 1st year 10B team moving to 12U. These guys werent coaches though merely managers.

 

[Agbracing]

The team we just left asked all potential pitchers for this year how many and what kind of pitches they threw. The options were fastball, change up, curve, screw, rise and drop ball. Keep in mind this was a 1st year 10B team moving to 12U. These guys werent coaches though merely managers.[/QUOTE]

Yep my point exactly. We had a lower B team offer my daughter but said that she really needed to learn a curve and drop to be good. We kindly declined the offer. We setup a tryout with an A team that just won nationals and accepted an offer from them with just two pitches. We are adding a drop for 12u but will probably be spring season before she officially has 3 pitches.

 

[CoachKevin]

Happens to me every year. First thing I ask potential pitchers, "what pitches do you throw?" They all answer 5-6 and list them out. Next question I ask, "OK, how many can you throw for a strike consistently?" The number typically drops to 3... lol

 

[Sparky Guy]

Go for it!!

A very wise person (college coach as well) told me our first year of pitching that the successful kids have these qualities:
1) Desire to pitch
2) Some athleticism
3) Involved parent
4) Parent with lots of time and/or money



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He forgot two other necessary traits.

5) A short memory.
6) Thick skin.

 

[grcsftbll]

Part of the pitching problem in my opinion is parents and kids wanting to throw 8 pitches while still in 10u. They are not willing to spend the time and money to build a solid foundation for long term success. They are being taught all the pitches and never really learning how to make a basic fastball and change up work. At one time it was all about velocity but then it started being the trend to not discuss velocity (unless your dd was fast) but how many pitches a girl can throw. And coaches are somewhat to blame for this also.

At our tryout DH asked the pitchers what pitches they threw. They rattled off 5+ pitches. He told them pick their top 3 and throw those. Several of them really could not locate a fastball or throw a good change up.

 

[Rolling Hard]

" I think we should allow the girls to pitch like the men, leap and crow hop all they want." This also stops the over zealous ump from wrecking pitchers day cause her toe is coming off the ground. 65 foot bases, maybe at 14u, is not a bad idea. Umps give them at least one corner. Went to a few PGF games this year and the squeeze was on, especially at the 18u level.

 

[shaker1]

At our tryout DH asked the pitchers what pitches they threw. They rattled off 5+ pitches. He told them pick their top 3 and throw those. Several of them really could not locate a fastball or throw a good change up.

Common issue in our area as well, every kid throws at least 5 pitches. Come game time, you'll see that number come way down, usually to a fastball and a change, unless it's it's a walkfest. Who has the time to work on command of 5 pitches, not counting mixing them together.

 

[grcsftbll]

Common issue in our area as well, every kid throws at least 5 pitches. Come game time, you'll see that number come way down, usually to a fastball and a change, unless it's it's a walkfest. Who has the time to work on command of 5 pitches, not counting mixing them together.

Yep! We're 2nd year 12U. None of them have command of 5 pitches, sorry. OK, maybe not none but very few.