10u Tournament Protocol on Sundays

[Snotbubbles]

Curious how other teams handle the Sunday lineups. My main question is about pitching at the 10u level. Do teams run a stud pitcher out there for all three games or do they limit them by pitch or innings counts. I get the impression that some teams just trot out their #1 until their arm falls off or they get up by a ton of runs.

My DDs 10u team this weekend used their #2 in game 1 of bracket play (pitched 5 innings) and the #1 closed out the last inning. Then the #1 pitched game 2 of bracket play (pitched 6 innings). Then in the championship we used a girl who might be the teams #5 pitcher for 2 innings (strategically as a slower speed), the #1 pitcher for 2 innings and the #2 pitcher for 2 innings.

Do teams at 10u mostly use 1 pitcher on Sunday's or do they go with more? Just curious.

 

[quincy]

Unless U get really lucky, you are going to need that #2 and #3 P on Sunday.

I plan accordingly and they get some innings.

Unless it is a really special tourney, not many IMO, it is going to be a group pitching effort.

I will also not allow you to throw DD's arm out.

I like innings over pitch limit but I am lazy and each thier own. Regardless if you go one of these limits, watch warm-ups too.

 

[grcsftbll]

Depends on the coach. I've seen coaches pitch one girl all day both days, with a break here and there. I don't like it, I don't think that can possibly be healthy. Our 2 main 10U teams plus all the ones we've picked up with don't run one girl all day. Our #1 is a clear #1 but she still doesn't pitch every game on Sunday.

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[quincy]

Softball pitching rules are a little more liberal then baseball rules, besides the win at all costs mentality you run across, I do not think some coaches understand the pitching rules and take advantage of them.

 

[marriard]

Curious how other teams handle the Sunday lineups. My main question is about pitching at the 10u level. Do teams run a stud pitcher out there for all three games or do they limit them by pitch or innings counts. I get the impression that some teams just trot out their #1 until their arm falls off or they get up by a ton of runs.

Coaches who just HAVE to win no matter what do this. They suck - long term it is bad for everyone - especially the girl. But hey, $10 trophy and all that. Don't be fooled because they have an early-matured pitcher they are riding into the ground.

My DDs 10u team this weekend used their #2 in game 1 of bracket play (pitched 5 innings) and the #1 closed out the last inning. Then the #1 pitched game 2 of bracket play (pitched 6 innings). Then in the championship we used a girl who might be the teams #5 pitcher for 2 innings (strategically as a slower speed), the #1 pitcher for 2 innings and the #2 pitcher for 2 innings.

This seems very reasonable.

Do teams at 10u mostly use 1 pitcher on Sunday's or do they go with more? Just curious.

All really well coached teams go 2-3 deep in pitching on elimination day - more if they have them. There is NO excuse.. none... especially early in the season... for not throwing out your #2 and even your #3. That is how you develop them. Sure, you might lose some early tourneys, but by the end of the season you will end up with more than one pitcher you can rely on and as the bigger and longer tournaments are happening, you give yourself the chance to be really successful.

We did it by going backwards - who would we want for each game to end the tournament. Then we stuck to starting who should start each game. We made it clear that we were building towards the end-of-season target tournament and that what happened THIS weekend, was part of that building - win or lose. Sure you adjust through a day, but you HAVE to have multiple arms to go deep into tournaments regularly or survive an injury or illness or any one of a thousand things that could happen.

You can't be fooled by a team that wins a tournament with 1 pitcher. Long term they will suffer one way or another. Anyone who has progressed to 14U and up knows way too many girls who have already had surgery for overuse, or have multiple injuries or just gave up. And they also have a long, long list of 10U pitchers who can't cut it in 14U+

Added: BTW, our team and program exists and grows because we have lots of pitching. It attracts other players. Teams absolutely form around pitchers - we built our programs because good players know we always have the pitching to compete and that makes our program attractive to them. By 14U good pitchers are like unicorns - good luck finding one. That is why 3/4 of players wanted posts are "We have 10 good players, looking for a pitcher" or "Need a pitcher - plenty of innings available".
Terrible below-average pitchers are in high demand. Even in college I have seen terrible, terrible pitchers get time because there is not enough pitchers to fill out rosters.

 

[nixxy311]

Past season All Star team, we had our #1 pitcher pitch every all-star game in our first 3 tournaments. For the 3rd tournament, we ended up playing 4 games in one day and she still pitched each one. We had 2 other pitchers that could have filled in. When we went to state, HC did allow the other two to pitch in the pool play games and then #1 pitcher pitched the rest (3 on the second day). At the World Series, he again let the other two pitch in pool play and one pitched the first game in bracket play since it was against a team we had played at state but then pitcher #1 pitched the last 3 games (1 one day and 2 the next)

I'm sure you won't be surprised that the #1 pitcher was the HC's daughter
Trying not to be biased since DD is one of those extra pitchers and DD is good friends with her too - she's a good pitcher but in past seasons, the HC at least changed up the pitchers occasionally in the games. (I will say that we did play one game where she had 15 K's which does make it easier since she didn't really have to throw that many pitches at all - 67 pitches in 5 innings)

We are on the HC's team for rec this season and DD actually starts every game and she and the daughter do get pretty even pitching time.

 

[KneeHighSocks]

we are a first year 12U team (so basically 11U). Our coaches are looking at this Fall and probably this whole year as development time. We have 4 girls who pitch. My DD is one of them. All of our pitchers are at different levels. One pitches low 50's gets lots of strike outs. We are pretty sure whatever game she pitches we should win unless we are up against really good older teams (we play open and have played some really good second year A teams). Our second pitcher is pitching high 40's could be 50 in Spring. Good command of the ball, nice change, learning a couple moving pitches. Then there is my DD. She's throwing about 44-45. Has good location and movement. Nice change up that mostly works. Knows how to throw a screwball and a drop. Then our 4th pitcher is low 40's and still working on total command and has potential.The ball gets put in play a lot more with #3 and #4 in the circle. Coach says let the defense make the outs. ALL the girls get time, the 1, 2 and 3 each get a game on Saturday and we don't worry about win or lose as much. Defense just has to be more "on' with the slower pitchers in the circle. Sundays we will usually start the #1 or #2 interchangeably . If we make it to a championship my DD may pitch, the #4 may pitch. they may all pitch an inning. Right now it's less about winning and more about developing a strong team of 12. We want to be able to win games with our top 9 as well as the bottom 9 playing. Thats how a strong team is built and we plan on staying together as they age up. I believe 10U should be this way as well. I know of several 10U teams that relied on 1 stud pitcher to basically strike everyone out and now they are playing 12U where she is not a stud anymore, gets hit and she has a team on girls who can barely field behind her. They are 10, 11, 12 years old . If they don't get the time now to develop they never will. I am so glad we are not a win at all costs team.

 

[Snotbubbles]

we are a first year 12U team (so basically 11U). Our coaches are looking at this Fall and probably this whole year as development time. We have 4 girls who pitch. My DD is one of them. All of our pitchers are at different levels. One pitches low 50's gets lots of strike outs. We are pretty sure whatever game she pitches we should win unless we are up against really good older teams (we play open and have played some really good second year A teams). Our second pitcher is pitching high 40's could be 50 in Spring. Good command of the ball, nice change, learning a couple moving pitches. Then there is my DD. She's throwing about 44-45. Has good location and movement. Nice change up that mostly works. Knows how to throw a screwball and a drop. Then our 4th pitcher is low 40's and still working on total command and has potential.The ball gets put in play a lot more with #3 and #4 in the circle. Coach says let the defense make the outs. ALL the girls get time, the 1, 2 and 3 each get a game on Saturday and we don't worry about win or lose as much. Defense just has to be more "on' with the slower pitchers in the circle. Sundays we will usually start the #1 or #2 interchangeably . If we make it to a championship my DD may pitch, the #4 may pitch. they may all pitch an inning. Right now it's less about winning and more about developing a strong team of 12. We want to be able to win games with our top 9 as well as the bottom 9 playing. Thats how a strong team is built and we plan on staying together as they age up. I believe 10U should be this way as well. I know of several 10U teams that relied on 1 stud pitcher to basically strike everyone out and now they are playing 12U where she is not a stud anymore, gets hit and she has a team on girls who can barely field behind her. They are 10, 11, 12 years old . If they don't get the time now to develop they never will. I am so glad we are not a win at all costs team.

Your team sounds exactly the way our team is run. Saturdays are simply glorified scrimmages. Sundays, we play to win, but not at all costs (meaning we don't over use our pitchers).

 

[CoachKevin]

To me it sounds like the Coach totally used the rotation, and I would run it the same way...

 

[Rocketech1]

If you have depth at pitching at 10u, pitch the #1 until you are through the line-up once and switch to the #2 to finish the game (vice or versa). This keeps them fresh and you can see who is pitching better that day. Most bracket games only go 1 hour 20 mins no new anyways (something like 5 innings on average) and then in the championship game pitch your best pitcher. Nothing wrong with trying to win games and learning how to win which is an important skill. You get deeper in the tournament by winning which means more experience for all players. If your #3 pitcher is significantly behind in talent, pitch her more in pool play and/or use her in blow-outs in bracket play, scrimmages, and friendlies until she improves.

By the way, no team should have 5 pitchers unless you are a showcase team. Not fair for any of the pitchers, especially for the #1 pitcher who works her tail off to get better and she splits time evenly with the #5 pitcher. What message are you telling these players, doesn't matter how hard you practice to get better, you will pitch the same amount of innings no matter the skill level or dedication to the position.