9-10u and pitching styles

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May 17, 2012
2,804
113
The ability to throw strikes has little to do with style. Lots of kids throwing with IR that can't throw strikes consistently.

Just as some kids are blessed with great speed, some are blessed with the ability to throw strikes (more so than others).

Some pitchers never figure it out...
 
Jan 6, 2009
6,588
113
Chehalis, Wa
The ability to throw strikes has little to do with style. Lots of kids throwing with IR that can't throw strikes consistently.

Just as some kids are blessed with great speed, some are blessed with the ability to throw strikes (more so than others).

Some pitchers never figure it out...

It’s not as simple of correct vs wrong. I have seen on the internet people actually teaching to have the hand on top of the ball in the downswing. I’ve seen kids taught to IR/whip who throw incorrect. It doesn’t matter what your beliefs are when working with a pitcher. It’s their muscular system, ability, body awareness, neuromuscular system. More often than not you settle for small victories.
 
May 15, 2008
1,913
113
Cape Cod Mass.
So is it your opinion that pitching with HE mechanics has shorter learning curve to throw enough strikes to be effective in 10u.
Basically yes, but there should be some qualifiers. Are we talking travel or rec, travel needs a little more velocity to be 'effective'. I equate bowling with HE, the hand is on top of the ball in the downswing and into release. HE is taught and has a few add ons, like snap the wrist and the exagerated palm up finish. Bowling is what pitchers do first, before they get any lessons. Stop by any rec field and watch a Dad throw BP, he's bowling. Most coaches bowl when they throw front toss from behind a screen. It's the easiest way to throw strikes, unless you've had some training.

What I can't imagine is trying to teach a beginning 9/10U pitcher to throw a curve ball AND a turnover drop ball.
 
May 13, 2021
643
93
Basically yes, but there should be some qualifiers. Are we talking travel or rec, travel needs a little more velocity to be 'effective'. I equate bowling with HE, the hand is on top of the ball in the downswing and into release. HE is taught and has a few add ons, like snap the wrist and the exagerated palm up finish. Bowling is what pitchers do first, before they get any lessons. Stop by any rec field and watch a Dad throw BP, he's bowling. Most coaches bowl when they throw front toss from behind a screen. It's the easiest way to throw strikes, unless you've had some training.

What I can't imagine is trying to teach a beginning 9/10U pitcher to throw a curve ball AND a turnover drop ball.
I was talking about young girls just getting started in there pitching endeavors. For me it seems it would be a shorter path to throwing strikes using HE for a girl just starting out. I know it is a lot easier for me to throw strikes that way.
 
May 15, 2008
1,913
113
Cape Cod Mass.
I was talking about young girls just getting started in there pitching endeavors. For me it seems it would be a shorter path to throwing strikes using HE for a girl just starting out. I know it is a lot easier for me to throw strikes that way.
I agree and it's unfortunate when you're trying to develop good pitchers. And the coaches want strikes so the bowlers get more time on the mound. I usually tell parents don't worry about 10U, it takes a year or more to become proficient at throwing strikes. But that's often a tough sell.
 
Dec 10, 2015
845
63
Chautauqua County
So is it your opinion that pitching with HE mechanics has shorter learning curve to throw enough strikes to be effective in 10u. I see girls pitch this way every weekend but don't know any of them well enough to know how much work they put in compared to my DD. If so maybe that is the reason it doesn't go away. Mom and dad pay money for their DD to throw strikes so people teach the mechanics that produce that result the fastest. We have been IR from the beginning which has been almost a year and a half with pretty steady practice, and we are just now getting to the point of throwing enough strikes to be effective in a game IMO.
it seems 8U and 10U are no longer about learning and all about winning, imo. so, bowling and pitching are all about throwing strikes, right? when my DD was first learning IR, the deal I made with the 10U coach was just give her at least one inning each game to pitch and she'll give you good hitting and D for the rest of the innings. pitchers need thick skins and so do their parents. :)
 
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
pitchers need thick skins and so do their parents. :)

So true. DD made the transition to IR in the fall of first year 12U. She was dealing with the bigger ball, 40 feet, and a whole new motion at the same time. She struggled that fall, walked 5-7 batters every game. I don’t know how she stuck it out, it was tough to watch. She had been used to zero walks and two strikeouts an inning bowling from 35 feet.


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Dec 10, 2015
845
63
Chautauqua County
So true. DD made the transition to IR in the fall of first year 12U. She was dealing with the bigger ball, 40 feet, and a whole new motion at the same time. She struggled that fall, walked 5-7 batters every game. I don’t know how she stuck it out, it was tough to watch. She had been used to zero walks and two strikeouts an inning bowling from 35 feet.


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The fact she stuck it out tells me she's a competitor and didn't let the Grind beat her. Bravo !
 
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