10u pitcher...need advice

[Amy in AZ.]

A spin right spinner is a pretty good tool. Spin Right Softball Spinner Club K Detail Page

Using a 12 inch ball for practice is good for strengthening, (w/o hurting anything) and long toss (pitching) is good.

By a Gloveradar and measure her speed from time to time. It is great for goal setting.

 

[halskinner]

I understand that to have ball movement the speed has to be there. Is this something that I should address with her instructor? Are there any drills,or pitching aids to help her work on the proper spin for the various pitches?Any good pitching videos available so a not to educated dad can help his DD properly?We always try to keep it fun and change things up so she doesn't get bored.

1999Coach

You also have to understand that the 10" ball, that almost all 10's use, is different from the 12" ball. Not just in size of the ball, it's the size of the seams on the ball.

The 10" ball has pretty much flat seams compared to the 12". You can get a ton of spin on the 10" and it may produce very little movement. The 12" with its higher raised seams will get a ton of movement with the same amount of spin.

Don't get too hung up with movement pitches at 10u, with the exception of the down moving pitches. 12under, then start worrying about the rest of the movement pitches.

There are other things a 10u pitcher can do to be more successful WHILE they are working on developing movement pitches.

 

[PA SB Dad]

Doesn't a riseball need to be thrown in the mid-50's to get true movement? Or am I making that up? If that is true, would any of the PCs on this site teach a 10 year old a "riseball" who is not throwing anywhere near that speed? What is the rationale for doing so?

 

[luvsoftball]

I'm not a coach just a parent but..My DD is 11 and has been pitching for about 3 years. She has been taking lessons since she first asked me if she could pitch. IMO if you are going to do it might as well try to do it right. She started with a fastball obviously. She didn't throw anything but that until about a year and half ago. She then went to the peel drop. She threw nothing else for several months. She then learned a change up. She threw nothing else at all last season but those three. She throws around 50 MPH now. Once she showed good control of those 3, and was able to locate high/low and corner to corner with general consistency she learned a screw ball. Her coach waited a while and started teaching her the spin for the curve and the rise. He has made it quite plain to me that she is not to throw either the curve or the rise outside of his gym until he says she is ready. The way it was explained is that she will be strong enough this season for the curve. But the rise will be a long time away. She has neither the strength nor the speed to throw it yet. Plus he wants her to grow and develop more before he cuts her loose. And he is always working on speed and control. She does walk/run through, etc. My experience so far is that you need a lot of patience. It will take years and years to develop her. And she has to be willing to accept failure as well as success. I like his approach. I think introducing pitches too early is not a good thing. Your DD is 10 and it is all about development. Be steady and consistent. Encourage good practice skills and the rest will come. Again, this is my opinion and I'm just a parent.

 

[1999Coach]

So basically we need to focus on her fastball and change up until she is deadly with both and then when pitch speed allows start working on breaking pitches,correct?Ok with this said and using the drills listed previously what are some drills to get her more accurate.We work on her hitting the 4 corners, are there any others that will speed this process up?I have just started catching for her in the last month or so,the instructor had her own catcher and my wife was taking her to her lessons due to my work schedule, so I'm really in the dark on the mechanics and techniques to help any at home,I don't want to do anything that will hurt her progress so I have been just letting her pitch to me to get her pitches in daily.Tell me what I need to do and to help her and the other pitchers on the team and I will do so.
Thank everyonre for your help!

1999Coach

 

[Amy in AZ.]

An easy drill to do after she has warmed up, is have her look at your target and then close her eyes and pitch. You will be surprised at how accurate she will be.

Buy some DVDs to help you. Try Hillhouse, Parker, Nancy Evans, or Sue Enquist. I am sure there are others. Also search You Tube.

 

[1999Coach]

Thanks,is the video link Hal Skinner posted on pitching as well?As the said before I want to be able to help her and feel like I am doing the right thing,I really appreciate all the advice from everyone!Now if I just had a place at home we could practice out of the weather.

1999Coach

 

[coachdan]

1999 coach, I would be worried more about the mechanics that she is being taught rather than the rise ball. If she doesn't get the mechanic right she will not be able to throw the rise down the road.

What type of drills/ warmup is does she do. This could tell us alot without video of the mechanics she is being taught. Does she do the T-drill with the ball pointed toward second and palm on top pushing the ball down like most pitching coaches teach. This sounds like what she is being taught by the way you described the way PC wants her to finish. If so this is where I would start because she is headed down the wrong road. DD must get the proper release using the elbow whip and finish across your body. Until this is correct trying to learn a riseball is a waist of time. If she had 100% correct spin 6/12 at 40 mph the ball is not going to move very much. Riseball needs to be upper 50's to low 60's to get good movement. If DD mechanics are good I don't have a problem with her learning the spin on the rise just realize its not going to move much, if any. I just thing at this age the time could be better spent working on other things.

Dan

 

[1999Coach]

Her drills include wrist snaps,T drill, show and throw,full wind up without using her legs,walk throughs and few others I can't think of right now.Do I need to bring this up to her PC about the type of release?I didn't mean to come across as I was pushing or trying to justify the rise,I didn't think she was ready for it from the info I had read.How should the fastball release be done?Sorry if these questions seem uneducated I just want DD to be taught the proper way so she can be her best!

1999Coach

 

[coachdan]

Do a search on this site for Boardmembers internal rotation thread. That will answer many of your question.