How long should it take?~

[MNDad]

Strike % can be very misleading at young ages. A girl might throw 30 mph and have a very high % because everything is getting hit. Another girl might throw 50+ and the hitters are so inexperienced they’re afraid to swing. Less swings = lower strike % and more walks.

it happens at older ages too, but the differences aren’t extreme.

 

[cnardone]

By 12u, there is such a thing as too many strikes.

if a friendly last night. My dd starts the game.

First inning Lead off: Strike one looking. Strike 2 swinging at the letters. Single up the middle, pitch right down the middle. Uhhggg
3rd batter. same exact thing. uhhhgggg

Later in the inning. 1-2 count. Got there the same way. Swings at the letters. HC walks out of the dug out and tells the whole field, "Keep it at the letters." Pitch at the letters, the girl fouls back. Next pitch at the letters and she swings through it.

After the game the coach talked to her about pitching off the plate when she is ahead. We'll see this weekend if she actually took it in.

 

[_MIA_]

HC walks out of the dug out and tells the whole field, "Keep it at the letters."

are you sure what you were hearing wasn't echoes from past Oklahoma 12U tournaments which I have attended?

 

[radness]

if a friendly last night. My dd starts the game.

First inning Lead off: Strike one looking. Strike 2 swinging at the letters. Single up the middle, pitch right down the middle. Uhhggg
3rd batter. same exact thing. uhhhgggg

Later in the inning. 1-2 count. Got there the same way. Swings at the letters. HC walks out of the dug out and tells the whole field, "Keep it at the letters." Pitch at the letters, the girl fouls back. Next pitch at the letters and she swings through it.

After the game the coach talked to her about pitching off the plate when she is ahead. We'll see this weekend if she actually took it in.

LOL wheres the coach in the story who wants everything thrown down the middle?


Hmmm,...
Learning to find the strike zone is learning to control the ball.
Isnt learning to miss by a great distance also learning to control the ball?!

 

[_MIA_]

Maybe because of this

LOL wheres the coach in the story who wants everything thrown down the middle?

this wasn't actually occuring

miss

 

[cnardone]

Isnt learning to miss by a great distance also learning to control the ball?!

In lessons, when my DD is focused and intent, she can hit the glove 25-30% of the time.

How much time do you spend practicing pitching off the plate, when you are only really hitting your spot on the plate 25-30% of the time. At this age, could intentionally throwing (practicing) off the plate have some girls start to struggle with throwing strikes again?

 

[radness]

In lessons, when my DD is focused and intent, she can hit the glove 25-30% of the time.

How much time do you spend practicing pitching off the plate, when you are only really hitting your spot on the plate 25-30% of the time. At this age, could intentionally throwing (practicing) off the plate have some girls start to struggle with throwing strikes again?

What age?
People grow on different paths.
Hard to comment toward one kid without the history involved.
25/30% sounds like beginning stages....but how long does that take to get to 50% is different for pitchers.

As for broadening goals~
Trying one thing is foccusing on one thing.
Sometimes focusing on something else trains how to focus more by adding another goal.
When you go back to the first thing...
Focus has been worked on!
To then apply to throwing to the plate.

Throwing at a target, no matter where the target is, is throwing at a target...working on control.

Simply i dont limit potential by looking at someones age.

 

[spleen1015]

Haven't read the entire thread, but wanted share my experience with my DD.

I would say after about 2-2.5 years she could throw strikes consistently. Heck, after a year, I was wondering if she should give it up because she was still throwing more uncatchable pitches than catchable ones.

The summer of 2nd year 10u was when she started being a decent pitcher.

 

[NJSwampdragons]

This has been by DD’s last several games this fall at 10-U.

Game; 58% strikes - 3Ks -2W (should be 4-1, ump made terrible call on 3-2 pitch) 1 hit, 3 innings

Game: 56% (6Ks-4W-2H) 2.1 innings

Game: 58% (3Ks-3walks, 5 hits 3innings - against best team in state)

Game: 36% 2Ks-8W 1 inning pulled (Lesson is never invite the grandparents to watch her pitch for the first time ever after not seeing her for months due to Covid)

2 Games 2 innings total: 60% 4K-1W- 1hit in 2 innings

Game: 63%. (Most pitches throw in a game at 95) 11Ks-4W 4.2 innings 5 hits

Game: 58% 4K-1S - 2 hits in innings

I’d estimate that 55-60% are strikes, 15-25% are reasonably close to the plate, and 15-20% are 3-6ft high and outside (watch out lefties). I really hope she improves over the winter in each category.

She’s been pitching exactly a year and throws around (a real) 40 mph. Her innings tend to be extended as her team is young and tends to make a lot of errors on routine plays.

Interestingly, she starting throwing harder and more accurate when she moved to a team where she became the #1 pitcher. She pitched scared as a #3 pitcher in the summer for another team: aimed the ball and no drive. 1st travel game in July she threw 4 pitches to the backstop and asked to be taken out. Less than 3 months later she was keeping her own vs the best team in the state.

I’ve noticed with our team that we have 2 newer pitchers that can throw strikes in practice, but can’t in games.

Our #2 pitcher is slightly more accurate, pitches slightly slower, and gives up a few more hits. I think she has been pitching a little more than a year.

 

[ArmWhip]

I’ve noticed with our team that we have 2 newer pitchers that can throw strikes in practice, but can’t in games.

Are they pitching to batters in practice? Put a batter in the box and the strike zone looks a lot smaller. So in practice have some batters stand in the box against them, but not swing.