How fast?

[Chewy_06]

What's the baseline length for 10U? I'm trying to relate the speeds to what I know for U10 here - we use 45' (for U6 - U10); I suspect you guys use 55' probably? The times would make more sense (to me at least)

 

[marriard]

As a coach I seem to attract players who need to be timed with a sundial... or speedsters who couldn't get on base with a map.

 

[Rambler34]

Chewy... We play with 60 foot baselines starting in 8u in ASA, USFA, and USSSA travel ball.

 

[Chewy_06]

Chewy... We play with 60 foot baselines starting in 8u in ASA, USFA, and USSSA travel ball.

Thanks, that helps me understand the times a bit better. 60 @ 8U. Crazy long. How do any of the kids get on base?

That much distance would allow at least one if not two errors and still leave the infield enough time to get the ball to first before the runner... (wouldnt it?) Last season our first year U10 team (2003's playing on 45' baselines - that would have been a second year 8U team in your system) were getting the ball to first before the runner probably 30% of the time - another 25-30% it was just late (the rest never arrived... grumbles).

 

[David Carter]

Ha. Yes. About every year.
I think that 3.25 is decent speed for a 10U girl, to first base. Any faster than that and you will notice that she is fast.
You better teach them to hit, if they are really slow.

Amy how do you time this? I have two or three pretty fast girls on my 14U rec team and they ran 3.2 or 3.3 most of the team was 3.5 to 3.8 with the slow girls at 4 seconds.

Home to home was 13.2 to 13.5 for fast girls with most around 14. As their 47 yr old coach I figured I would give it a try, sneakers no cleats 13.1 not too shabby for an old man.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

David, I think that your girls are pretty normal. I have the girl stand in the box and take a swing. I start the clock and try to stop it at contact with the base.

But, you can stand there at first base and hear the girls slow up. I listen for their footsteps and they should be like a metronome. Step, Step, Step, Step. Not Step, Step, Step, steppy steppy step. Most girls aren't running through the base.

It sometimes help, to have 2 girls run side by side, while a coach stands on the base with his arms spread out. Then, it becomes a foot race, instead of trying to hit the base.

I saw a lady out exercising yesterday and she was about to twist herself into the ground. I don't understand why some females twist at the shoulders instead of driving their arms forward like a locomotive.

 

[SoGASoftball]

3.25 in 10u is fast.

 

[JDBerry]

I saw a lady out exercising yesterday and she was about to twist herself into the ground. I don't understand why some females twist at the shoulders instead of driving their arms forward like a locomotive.

My daughter is relatively slow. The one thing that has helped her quickness is both the track coach and basketball coaches have told her to pump her arms. The faster she pumps her arms, the faster she will run.