D-1 Speeds

[BobInMadison]

It is pretty straightforward. Some of the major factors are:

1) A lot of the athletic 6'+ girls end up in basketball and volleyball. Basketball has a lot more full scholarships and being tall is REALLY important since the basketball coach can't have a 5'8" girl playing center, but the softball coach certainly can have a 5'8" girl pitch and be very successful. There really isn't that many mobile, athletic 6'+ girls out there
2) When it comes down to NLI/Roster spots coaches start to get a much better feel on whether the early 'verbal' worked out or not - and whether it is time to just go outand sign a pitcher who is actually already producing at a higher level.
3) College pitching is hard and while the coach MAY be able to turn her into a pitcher, someone has to pitch NOW. So they end up getting beaten out by the 5'8" girl who understands pitching and is getting circle time. Then they either transfer or leave the game like other girls do.

I talk to a lot of college coaches who believe they will be able to turn the raw athlete into a great player, but there are not many college coaches who are truly capable of this. A lot of players get better in college more because they are spending a lot of time dedicated to the sport, they get into a regular lifting/fitness program, they continue to physically and mentally mature and the competition is even more intense.

Most college coaches aren't pitching coaches and even if they are, the ones that teach HE are all over the place - including ones who were great pitchers in college themselves.

The really tall girls have a lot of sports they can go into. A few years back, a local 1B who was about 5'11" or 6'0" got a rowing scholarship to Wisconsin. I talked to a guy from the Chicago area who has two very tall DDs. At the time I talked to him, his older and taller DD already had a D1 rowing scholarship, and his shorter (only about 5'10" or 5'11") DD was in HS and being very heavily recruited.

A few years ago, a tall local girl who had never rowed before was given a rowing scholarship to Wisconsin. She went to their summer rowing camp, and they taught her how to row on the rowing machine (erg). With her height, erg times, grades and ACT scores, she was verballed on the spot.

So, if any fathers of very tall DDs are wondering what to do if their DDs can't get a softball scholarship, just have your DD learn the rowing machine (erg). If she can get a fantastic time, she WILL get a D1 scholarship, even if she has never rowed in her life. (She does need to know how to swim for safety reasons).

 

[STRIKE3]

I stumbled across this and thought is was actually a fairly good "sample size" of girls and speeds. I have no idea if the radar machine being used is accurate or not but the number of girls at various ages and speeds was interesting to me.

Fastpitch Softball Speed Club