Attacking a dominate pitcher- 10U

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
Thank you. It has been fun to watch her develop. I’ve spent hours on a bucket catcher her, and frankly there is nothing I would rather do. Thank you for your advice.

Get a pitching coach if you don't have one. Because my DD is above average at pitching, lots of parents ask me how she got that way and tips for what they can do. My answers are:

1. Get a pitching coach
2. Keep it fun
3. Get a pitching coach
4. Get a pitching coach
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
The main problem is the % increase is huge. If you are usually facing 40 then 50 is a 25% increase. If you would apply that to 18U softball and kids are used to facing 60 then that would be equivalent to facing 75...I would guess the 18U kids, while not "scared", would probably have issues too ;)
Oh they do, just not with straight gas! Most, or the majority of 18U TB / showcase players love hitting against hard throwing pitchers, especially the second or third time through the lineup.

It’s those hard throwing spinners that make them scratch their head!
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Oh they do, just not with straight gas! Most, or the majority of 18U TB / showcase players love hitting against hard throwing pitchers, especially the second or third time through the lineup.

It’s those hard throwing spinners that make them scratch their head!
Anna has faced 75 MPH before? I agree that a good hitter will figure out the speed eventually but that was the point..the little kid facing 50 for the first time is going to be overwhelmed and while at the older ages the learning curve will be steeper (e.g. maybe after a few times through the lineup) the 10 YO might need to face 50 for 5 or 6 games before they get some level of comfort.

That said, outside of maybe Abbott, I don't know of any females that actually throw 75 MPH regardless of what the ESPN radar guns say.
 
Last edited:
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
Anna has faced 75 MPH before? I agree that a good hitter will figure out the speed eventually but that was the point..the little kid facing 50 for the first time is going to be overwhelmed and while at the older ages the learning curve will be steeper (e.g. maybe after a few times through the lineup) the 10 YO might need to face 50 for 5 or 6 games before they get some level of comfort.

That said, outside of maybe Abbott, I don't know of any females that actually throw 75 MPH regardless of what the ESPN radar guns say.

Yeah, I knew what you meant, and no she’s never seen 75, she‘s never seen 70 before. Probably 66, 67 tops.

However she was that scared little 10 year old facing 50 at one time, I’d love to have that back again!

I’ve probably asked this simple question to at least 20 different really good hitters on teams I’ve been associated with. Would you rather face speed or the girl who can spin the crap out of the ball? Answer is always 100% speed!

RAD had the best advice, find an older pitcher and have her throw real, live pitching in practice to the OP’s team. Teach those young girls fast in equals fast back out, let the pitcher do all the work!

Oh, good morning pattar!
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Good morning ya'all !

This learning curve to hitting fast pitching will continue.
Its a topic that generally all batters come to face at one point or another.
Its called developing our skills.

Shouldnt we start by immediatly teaching every batter how to bunt?!

Bunting teaches timing and hand eye coordination.
It could be said that bunting may be the best drill work for hitting?!

Bunting position can be set up immediatly getting in the box.
( take away the moving part)
Just watch the pitcher while ready to bunt. See the pitch.
Bunt if its in/near the zone. Or dont.

Never ceases to amaze when a coach in any age bracket will say
'we didn't bring our bats'
Yet every batter stepped in the box with a bat.
Really ~ What they didn't bring was strategy and the ability to use it or atleast try!!
 
Last edited:
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
RAD had the best advice, find an older pitcher and have her throw real, live pitching in practice to the OP’s team. Teach those young girls fast in equals fast back out, let the pitcher do all the work!
Yeah but at 10's the older girl would have to be willing to throw an 11" ball or the 10 YOs would have to be willing to hit 12" balls. Best advice to me is to work on their mechanics, tell them to compete and ultimately to not worry (the coach...) about the results in 1% of their games in 10U :)
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Yeah but at 10's the older girl would have to be willing to throw an 11" ball or the 10 YOs would have to be willing to hit 12" balls. Best advice to me is to work on their mechanics, tell them to compete and ultimately to not worry (the coach...) about the results in 1% of their games in 10U :)
its not a big deal to hit 12" balls instead of smaller.

Actually only use 12" for all hitting lessons. And catching lessons for that matter, which includes throwing.

Really this topic extends past 10u.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
its not a big deal to hit 12" balls instead of smaller.
Yeah I know.. as you may have heard, I have a DD. Doesn't mean everybody, including a team full of 10 YOs, has the same attitude towards it hence my wording (willing vs able...) .
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
work on their mechanics,
tell them to compete and ultimately to not worry (the coach...) about the results in 1% of their games in 10U :)
Like these points
Keep working on it
Dont worry

As to the 1% results that didnt go well,
Take it as a learning experience
To PLAN/PREPAIR a better approach next time!

just sayin again

Bunting is used to combat better pitching at all levels!
 
  • Like
Reactions: G&G

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,481
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top