Daughter lost pitching speed...need advice

[2 girls]

Sorry no video...dd plays travel ball in the spring and high school ball in the summer. After last summer, she took a break for about a month. After the break she had gained about 4-5 mph on her fastball. She pitched in a couple fall tournaments with the same velocity. She takes lessons and over the winter months kept her speed but only pitching about two times/week. Her first indoor tourney same thing..good velocity. But the more we have been pitching the more the speed has decreased. She is 15. She at most pitches 4 times/week. She is in track and lifts weights, so she is really busy. Is it fatigue? Her pitching coach said it looks like she has a dead arm. She went from 60mph to 56 lately. Any thoughts?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

My first thought that your pitching coach has never had a dead arm. There is no way, she could throw 56, with a dead arm.

Clock her overhand and see if she can reach 56 mph. I bet that she is fine. Maybe she has had a growth spurt or maybe the radar gun is off.

Have you looked to see if she has started muscling throw the release and has lost her arm whip? Is she going to a straight arm, instead of a relaxed arm?

 

[2 girls]

Amy, thanks for your reply. I have noticed the last three weeks that she doesn't have quite the velocity since I usually catch her. I will tell her to focus on the relaxed arm because she does struggle with muscling it at times. My thought is fatigue...not from pitching too much but from weight lifting, track and softball combined. She just made such a big stride she doesn't want to take a step back.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Yes, to fatigue and maybe, just end of the year projects. Even some of my 8yo students are overwhelmed.

 

[Dave619]

Fatigue is the first thought that came to my mind....we are at the end of our first school ball season and I have noticed that the last two times she has pitched her speed and drive is off. This is our first experience with practicing or playing almost every day for about 5 months straight so I am assuming it is a fatigue issue. See if you can rest her a bit more and you will probably see a fresh pitcher return with her speed back.

 

[sluggers]

Post a video of her and we'll be able to see if she has a mechanical problem.

Is your DD stretching as well as weight lifting?

My guess is that she (and probably you) have not realized that she isn't 12YOA any longer. She needs to give her body (and especially her arm) a chance to recover.

 

[2 girls]

Thanks Papa and Sluggers...I will try and post video soon.

 

[smddad]

Give her a rest to recharge.

 

[mike s]

Added the band stretches from http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/17852-stretching-exercises-pitchers.html post #4 to DD's pre-practice/game warm-up and again at the end of practice. She has noticed less stiffness, especially with the post workout stretches, I think it helps the muscles get rid of some of the built up lactic acid from all of the exertion. Tried to get her to jog after practice/games without any success but she is willing to do the bands. Added benefit is these seem to add strength to the muscles used for arm whip. Hope this helps.

 

[mike 7204]

my daughter 11, plays in on a very competetive u10 travel team. This spring she started strong... her velocity was really good....always has been. First couple tournes in April she was blowing it by other A level teams. Then beginning of May I noticed, as did the coach, girls were hitting off her more and velocity down. It has continued....velocity even down some more. She has no complaints of any arm injury. Instructor noticed some mechanical things doing wrong but even when she corrected them with her instructor, her instructor ( and I) still notice speed is not where it was. Daughter frustrated and Im unsure what problem is. She was never the best with using her lower body or getting a huge step off the mound....is it her arm is just tired cause maybe she is more arm than full body? It seems her arm whip isnt what it was.