- Aug 21, 2008
- 2,386
- 113
My daughter has taken pitching class for almost two years and all she has is fastball and changup. She had a coach briefly taught her rise ball spins. She also learned curve a little bit. But in games, there are only fastball and changup. She is at lower 40 now. First year 10U. But I don't think she will get 50 next year. Not possible with her size. I know spin and spot are important. But seriously, for 10U, travel ball coaches really want over 50 pitchers. Somehow, spin/spot pitching coaches don't understand it. If you talk to a spin/spot coach that her travel team coach want her to pitch faster, they will tell you that speed will come with time with correct mechanics. They are absolutely right but it is hard to watch your daughter got hit hard and her team got run ruled now. And even she could hit spot, she still need her team defense to work. When defense not work, a weak grounder or a fly ball is same as a hit. Not like pitching over 50 just strike out the batter.
Oh, another difference between speed coach and spin/spot coach is speed coach always has radar gun in class. Spin/spot coach seems never use their radar guns.
I think my question is to get her to pitch as fast as she could, also learning spin and spot, is two coaches approach better?
10u? A riseball? You are aware that in a year or 2, her life will change when she goes to the 12" ball, right? That's ALMOST like starting over for a young lady, especially with small hands. Her "riseball" with the 11" ball won't mean squat when she goes to the 12" ball. Try this yourself. Use a 12" ball, then try to do the same thing with a 14" or 16" ball. Good luck.
It's amazing that people need a license to catch a fish but not to teach pitching. A 10u throwing 50, there are mid major D1 pitchers throwing 55 at top speed!! But this clown won't let her on the team unless she breaks this barrier. Ever hear the old saying "marathon not a sprint"? This coach doesn't even want her to sprint, he wants her to race Jamaica's Mr. Bolt in the Olympics.
jadefish, run, don't walk from this a$$clown. Dollars to donuts 50% of his players and pitchers burn themselves out by 14U. It sounds like the pressure he/she is putting on these players is intense, and it's the wrong age for this. They aren't vying for scholarships, nobody remembers wins/losses at 10U (except this goof). And as Donnie Baker would say, "I'll say it right to his face!!!"