DD throwing tennis ball 4 mph faster

[abbygale]

Than regular 12" softball. If the mechanics are the same, would you say that the difference is in strength?

 

[corlay]

Fingers!......

Or should I say: "flingers".

 

[FrozenRope]

Than regular 12" softball. If the mechanics are the same, would you say that the difference is in strength?

Most likely the ball size. She probably gripped the tennis ball with 2 fingers and had it out on her fingertips, alot further away from her palm than the 12" softball. Puts truth to the "Less Skin on the Ball = More Speed"

 

[JJsqueeze]

This is really interesting...I'm going to run a few experiments with my labrat/rugrat.

OK- I'm back...based on my highly rigorous scientific experiment with a baseball, an 11 inch and a twelve inch ball. Two pitches each. There was no difference for my daughter. Of course this means squat but we did not see any change in speed. They all came in right at her cruising speed.

 

[Rick Pauly]

I would say it is a strength-to-ball weight ratio that is the primary factor. You will probably note that she throws the 11" softball faster than the 12" softball also because of less weight. As FR has pointed out, the ball size is probably part of the equation also. The smaller ball doesn't need to go so deep into the palm for her to grip it....thus more finger tip=leverage.

 

[FrozenRope]

This is really interesting...I'm going to run a few experiments with my labrat/rugrat.

OK- I'm back...based on my highly rigorous scientific experiment with a baseball, an 11 inch and a twelve inch ball. Two pitches each. There was no difference for my daughter. Of course this means squat but we did not see any change in speed. They all came in right at her cruising speed.

You know you have to take the sticker off the LED display or every pitch is going to read 88?

 

[JJsqueeze]

You know you have to take the sticker off the LED display or every pitch is going to read 88?

Damn...I've already sent out the letters to the D1 schools. I am going to look so foolish when they show up now. I thought it was weird that it gave readings without any batteries and it was soooo consistent.

But seriously folks a question about the Bushnell Speedster- DD Cruises at 43 on this gun and she has a goal of getting to 47-50 by spring. I have read a bunch of reviews that say this gun is slower than the Juggs or Stalker guns. Any truth to this? I have yet to tell the kid about this but I am secretly hoping it is reading slow and she is closer to her goal that it appears right now. Slightly off topic, but I hate to start a new thread on speed readings.

For the OP- how big is she? my DD is 11 and is like 5'3" 101 lbs. I ask because I am wondering about the size/strength relationship.

 

[javasource]

Rope... maybe this underloaded ball is allowing her to feel her release more... lol. Sorry... I had to say it...

 

[halskinner]

There was a horse pasture on a hill right behind our house in the bay area where I grew up. #0 feet or so of level ground then a barbed wire fence, then it angled up hill. I had access to hundreds of used and scarred golf balls. I would take a tin can, drill a hole in it, then hang it at around the strike zone.

I always thought the golf balls were alittle faster than m y softballs or tennis balls. Didnt have a gun to read then. Still dont.

Everyone has read where I have said 'Shrink the strike zone" to work on accuracy placement, ( softball on the batting tee drill). Same thing pretty much applies but I think you will find the golf ball is fasterf. Smaller mass and slick, less air disruption lioke the old Dudley SB12L softballs in the 70's.

 

[cmustangsfp]

Damn...I've already sent out the letters to the D1 schools. I am going to look so foolish when they show up now. I thought it was weird that it gave readings without any batteries and it was soooo consistent.

But seriously folks a question about the Bushnell Speedster- DD Cruises at 43 on this gun and she has a goal of getting to 47-50 by spring. I have read a bunch of reviews that say this gun is slower than the Juggs or Stalker guns. Any truth to this? I have yet to tell the kid about this but I am secretly hoping it is reading slow and she is closer to her goal that it appears right now. Slightly off topic, but I hate to start a new thread on speed readings.

For the OP- how big is she? my DD is 11 and is like 5'3" 101 lbs. I ask because I am wondering about the size/strength relationship.

JJ, Here are some numbers for comparisson. Last time clocked was this past summer 2013.
My middle DD is 12 and just passed 5' 6" and is about 120. She throws mid 50's. Size 12 shoes already. Team catcher now complains it hurts to catch for her.
My oldest DD is 13 and is about 5'3" 106. She throws high 40's to real low 50's. Size 10 Shoes. Oldest DD broke the radar gun (by dropping it not from overclocking! LOL). While not the fastest she is more consistent.
The 8yo is prolly 4' sumthin and is hitting 30+MPH. Her shoe size hasn't become memorable yet.

Most guns I have used have usually been within 1 to 2 MPH of each other. I have used the Bushnell Speedster and Pocket Radar. Seems the Bushnell was only off by 1MPH when compared to the Pocket radar. And it read 1 MPH slower!
Have you tried gunning your car coming down the road? Have your DW drive it at known speeds and see how it reads. Just don't get hit standing on the freeway!

My middle DD has always been the flamethrower. She hit the 50's in 10U with the 11" ball at 35'. When she switched to the 12" ball at 40' her speeds reduced back to the upper 40's, so I think ball size/distance has something to do with it, but what about weight? The tennis ball is smaller, but also weighs less so is it the reduction is size or weight that has the increase in speed?