10U Confusion

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Jul 15, 2016
115
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Good morning DPF friends. I am hoping you guys can help me with come confusion I am having. Since finding this wonderful site I have read about everything I can regarding 10U pitchers (my DD is 9 and was #1 pitcher on TB team last season). This is where the confusion comes in. I am seeing a myriad of posts that have 10u pitchers throwing wildly fast and have that feels like a dozen pitches at their disposal. I am also seeing posts that recommend not throwing anything but a FB and a CU until at least 12u. Then finally, I am seeing that a large amount of girls don't even start pitching until they are 10.

I guess I am trying to gauge where my DD is in order of pitching progression. But in order to do this I suppose you all would need some details...here goes. My DD is 9 and is now starting her 2nd season of TB as a pitcher. She started pitching 11 months ago and goes to a PC once a week and pitches at team practices and with me 3 other days a week. We are on a new team (shes #2) that should compete well at the B level and will play a couple A tourneys. She thrown a FB, can hit spots pretty well and is working on the CU with a 50% success rate

Sorry for the long post and thanks for the help!!
 

JJsqueeze

Dad, Husband....legend
Jul 5, 2013
5,436
38
safe in an undisclosed location
9 is really too young to get a good read on here place in the pitching pecking order. So much changes over the next 4-5 years as they grow that studs become duds and girls come out of nowhere and are awesome.

If she is pitching and enjoying it and is working on proper mechanics then she is in great shape and has the best chance of staying with the sport and still standing in the circle as she watches former studs move to other positions.

The four best pitchers I knew at 9 are respectively now- 1) a number two on a mediocre team- her genes betrayed her and she is about the same size she was at 9. 2). A very mediocre TB pitcher on a bad team, and gets hit hard every game. 3) still a very good pitcher but is injured much of the time. 4). A shortstop with a bit bat who doesn't pitch anymore.

The next 4 years will see a good pitcher's speed increase about 15-20 mph, and they will develop a good pitch or two. Then you can look around the landscape and get a good sense of where she stands. By second year 12s you should be able to get a pretty reliable read on things but until then as far as you are concerned she is a kid with limitless potential that your job is to help develop while helping her love the game.
 
Dec 8, 2015
249
18
Philadelphia, PA
My DD is 9 (turns 10 in Oct.).

Her last radar gun was in March where her top speed was 46 m.p.h. (She consistently threw it 43+ when she would get gunned). Shortly after that radar gun session we began the process of converting her from HE to IR and haven't been radar gunned since that time. At this point in time she only throws FB and CU in games. She will learn a drop this year and hopefully by the end of the season in July will throw a couple in games. Her FB location is getting better but needs work (walks about 4-5 girls in ~4 IP). CU is good (can hit the outside lower box fairly consistently, doesn't float it up there and has downward movement, with great deception).
 

Top_Notch

Screwball
Dec 18, 2014
512
63
At 9U and 10U your daughter needs a good fastball and a change. She should work speed. Towards end of 10U your DD should have progressed to the point of throwing (trying) other pitches (curve/screwball/drop/drop curve). Pick three. Then she should master three. No reason to be able to throw 5 pitches but none of them for strikes.

As for speed, I recall 35-40 about average, 41-44 good, and 44-50 very good, 50+ exceptional (and rare) for 9-10U. If someone is throwing 50+ at 10U they most likely are playing up anyway. Also, radar speeds vary greatly and I've seen "50mph pitchers" who's pitches could be timed with a sun dial.
 
Last edited:
Apr 5, 2013
2,130
83
Back on the dirt...
I'm of the belief that speed changes are more effective than movement changes at this age. FB, Drop (for middle speed) and a good CU she can locate will be extremely effective for the next 3 years. When she start throwing at 43 feet, the movement will have a bigger impact. I am no expert but having seen pitchers have success with the above at this age has shaped my thoughts on it.


Best of luck to your DD!
 
Dec 8, 2015
249
18
Philadelphia, PA
I'm of the belief that speed changes are more effective than movement changes at this age. FB, Drop (for middle speed) and a good CU she can locate will be extremely effective for the next 3 years. When she start throwing at 43 feet, the movement will have a bigger impact. I am no expert but having seen pitchers have success with the above at this age has shaped my thoughts on it.


Best of luck to your DD!

I've noticed in my limited viewing at this age:

1. Kids with high-end speed say 47mph+ that get it near the strike zone can dominate with only a FB.

2. Even a poorly thrown CU is effective against a lot of 10u hitters.

3. Not many kids at the USSSA B or Pony level throw CUs in games. (I think I saw may 3 or 4 kids all year try one)
 
May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
it's funny, the staple advice all experienced parents and coaches give newbies is: "Master FB location, and then develop a good change up"

but in my travels in 14U, I see very few pitchers that "have" a reliable change up.
I wonder why that is?

On our team, we were fortunate to have 2 pitchers that both had good change ups,
and our pitch calling really benefited. We would call for the change at just about any count,
and even threw 2 or 3 in a row sometimes, to the dismay of the opposing batters.

I think the lack of change ups is the result of another coaching credo: "If the batter is late on the FB, why the hell would you ever throw a change up?"
The good pitchers mow everyone down, 10U and 12U, and when they get to 14U, where IMO the batters really start to catch up to the pitching, they have no change or even off-speed to speak of.
 
May 20, 2016
433
63
IMO a good FB is all that is needed at that age. Most players don't have the bat speed or hand eye coordination to catch up with a good fastball placed right. Probably rings true through 12U as well. I've seen some girls with a good change up and usually those are the ones that are hit hard. Not saying you shouldn't be working on a CU, it's good to have. Just not really that needed to mix into a game at that level.
 
Apr 5, 2013
2,130
83
Back on the dirt...
We have a pitcher in our area that threw 46-50 at 10u and then had a killer CU. we could tell the girls the CU was coming wit 2 strikes but no one could catch up to it. She is now 2nd year 12u and still effective. I guess everyone's experiences effects their opinion, which is why we are here.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
I guess I am trying to gauge where my DD is in order of pitching progression.

Your DD is 10YOA. She, and all of her friends and competitors in fastpitch, get new bodes starting around 12YOA. The new body is going to be a lot different than her current body.

Thus, saying a child is "behind or ahead" at 10YOA is pretty foolish, because in 2 years, everyone starts over and the "real" race begins.

So:

1) Make sure DD is having fun playing softball.
2) Have her pitch as much as you can.
3) Have her "play around" with her pitches.
 

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