50mph or Bust

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May 20, 2016
433
63
My DD was in the same boat. Though at no time did we ever talk about MPH. We've always just worked on mechanics. First year 14U she was throwing 47ish. Going into her second year of 14U she's now throwing 54-55. Speed comes with mechanics. I don't even own a radar because i really don't care about the MPH at the end of the day. I can tell generally how fast she is throwing just from catching. Her PC does clock her 2 or 3 times a year but does not stress speed either.
 
Sep 29, 2008
1,401
63
Northeast Ohio
Just a thought -

Work on one aspect that you want to improve at practice and stick with it. If it is front side resistance, for example, make sure that you both understand what that means. Then make that the focus. Know what it is supposed to look like. Then pitch some...video on phone at real speed and in slo-mo...review video...discuss progress...pitch more. For the players I have worked with , using instant video review and then going right back to work has been extremely effective.
 
Jan 28, 2017
1,661
83
DD just finished her 1st year of 14U and hit 56 a few weeks ago in a game. Mostly curve, change, and rise. Throws a drop/curve that is just nasty but Inconsistent. She pitches out of her glove and uses a rocker style. She struck out a lot of committed college girls in her last tournament(HS Showcase) and was telling me how she was changing up her pause on the rock back. Pause for 3 seconds and throw change and then pause and fastball. No pause change and pause with curve. Starting to use the tools she has.
 
May 15, 2008
1,913
113
Cape Cod Mass.
DD just finished her 1st year of 14U and hit 56 a few weeks ago in a game. Mostly curve, change, and rise. Throws a drop/curve that is just nasty but Inconsistent. She pitches out of her glove and uses a rocker style. She struck out a lot of committed college girls in her last tournament(HS Showcase) and was telling me how she was changing up her pause on the rock back. Pause for 3 seconds and throw change and then pause and fastball. No pause change and pause with curve. Starting to use the tools she has.

Just out of curiosity how fast does she throw her drop/curve?
 
Nov 8, 2018
774
63
Can't see the ball very long, but this looks much faster than 45mph to me... I'd say she is easily throwing 50. If you are mandating a certain speed, and you don't own a pocket radar... well... your eye-radar appears to be off...

Oh, the fear that your child will get hit by a bullet comebacker... that never really goes away, no matter how fast they throw.

Don’t throw down the middle. Eliminates most come backs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
I see a few inefficiencies in her video.
1. Doesn't drive out. She is more of a reach upward.
2. Upper arm is very unstable, and as a result the lower half of her arm doesn't accelerate. (No upper brush and compression)
3. Fails to stabilize her body through release. Steps through the release.

Correct these 3 things and you'll get faster almost instantly 😉

Hope this helps, Coach James
 
Jun 19, 2013
753
28
You have received a lot of advice on mechanics so I won't pipe in on any of that. My recommendation for the ultimatum is to just eat crow. Tell her "hey dad made a big mistake trying to give you that mandatory speed thing, i was nervous for you, but ultimately you are working hard and doing great and whatever happens happens, when (not if) you take a ball off the shin we'll put ice on it and have some ibuprofen and you'll be great, that happens all the time. You are working so hard and you are getting better and we'll just keep working together to improve as long as you want to". That is my advice. Mine is 18 and a half and still has never hit 60 - she leads her teams, played great upper B level ball, is moving on to hopefully play in college at NAIA level, has gotten tons of exercise and stayed in shape, met lots of neat people and has grown into an amazing young women despite all of my craziness through her pitching journey and even though she was only throwing 49 at about 15 years of age :)
 
Dec 6, 2019
382
63
I can commiserate on the ultimatum. What I think I see that's missing there is something that we experience as well (this is NOT meant to be critical). That missing thing is "want to." Does she want to throw the pitch to the catcher, or does want to strike the batter out. What does she want to do?

One daughter was the #1 pitcher on her team pitched most of the innings. She was stalled out in the 44-46 range. Mom and dad thought she should have been progressing faster, and felt pressure because the team was playing a tougher schedule and the other pitchers were improving.

At one point out of frustration, it was said (not an ultimatum, but extra motivation) if you can hit 50 on the radar you can have a phone (which had been a regular request from her but mom and dad thought she was still a year away from being ready for a phone). Anyway, what do you think happened on the next pitch she threw? 51 mph. Never been above 46 before the phone thing was thrown out there. All the sudden she had the "want to" to throw harder.

That was making a short story long, but you know your child. It's not always mechanics holding them back. Do they really want to be doing what they're doing? Is she giving max effort? Does she know what giving max effort feels like? Maybe you can help her find that, maybe you can't. Another daughter was finally able to understand that 3 years AFTER she quit pitching. If only she could have harnessed what she knows now back then.
 
Jun 16, 2010
259
28
To be competitive a 14U player is going to have to throw in the mid to upper 50s. The 12u pitchers are throwing in low to mid 50s. Thats A ball.


We had a pitcher first year 14U who could only throw about 53-54. great movement, but she got rocked. She ended up quitting travel ball. She threw the same speed as the other girls the year before but she didn't pick up speed like they did. Maybe she didn't just shoot up in height as quick. 2nd year 14 year olds are fully grown height wise. They are done. They put on a little more muscle from that point, but that's why they play on the same size field as college girls. And can play and beat lesser 18u teams. They are basically physically mature.
 
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