How many days a week is a college pitcher going to pitch?

[gator5]

I know the number will vary. But I am trying to figure out if what I am seeing is in the ballpark.

My daughter is a freshman pitcher in college. I knew her pitching workload was going to increase in college, but I am shocked at how much pitching she is doing. I am trying to gauge if I am overly concerned, or if her coach is a little aggressive in practices.

D-II. They are in their fall season. She pitched 5 innings last Sunday in a game. She was off Monday. She will pitch Tuesday - Friday in practices (2 of those days will be bullpen. The other two will be to live hitters). She then has double header games on Saturday and Sunday. She will pitch in at least two of those games probably 5 or so innings each. So in all, this stretch will be 7 out of 8 days. (I thought they got two days off in the fall, but that is for another time).

If she got the Friday off before the double headers, I don't think the concern level would be so high.

All the pitchers have this schedule for the fall.

 

[black17]

I know the number will vary. But I am trying to figure out if what I am seeing is in the ballpark.

My daughter is a freshman pitcher in college. I knew her pitching workload was going to increase in college, but I am shocked at how much pitching she is doing. I am trying to gauge if I am overly concerned, or if her coach is a little aggressive in practices.

D-II. They are in their fall season. She pitched 5 innings last Sunday in a game. She was off Monday. She will pitch Tuesday - Friday in practices (2 of those days will be bullpen. The other two will be to live hitters). She then has double header games on Saturday and Sunday. She will pitch in at least two of those games probably 5 or so innings each. So in all, this stretch will be 7 out of 8 days. (I thought they got two days off in the fall, but that is for another time).

If she got the Friday off before the double headers, I don't think the concern level would be so high.

All the pitchers have this schedule for the fall.

At the D2 level, yes, pitching 5 to 6 days a week is normal. Hopefully, they are counting pitches each day. I'm sure someone should be.

I will say again what I have said several times in other recent threads, the best pitchers I have ever known personally (as in seeing them daily) pitch every day. I don't know if it is just a fluke or if it is related, but I see girls that pitch low-volume sessions getting injured during the season way more often than high-volume pitchers. My guess is it is not a fluke. Past 14, 15 or 16, I don't think developmentally it hurts you to try it.

 

[Tatonka]

I am shocked at the wide disparity in how much practice (with Coaches) and how many innings are allowed at various levels of college softball. My DD's at a DIII are not practicing, scrimmaging or playing anywhere close to what they were used to before college.

 

[Shiloh]

I am shocked at the wide disparity in how much practice (with Coaches) and how many innings are allowed at various levels of college softball. My DD's at a DIII are not practicing, scrimmaging or playing anywhere close to what they were used to before college.

Yeah, D3 is lame.
16 practice days with the coaches and 21 innings allowed. For the entire Fall.

Then 3-1/2 months off until Spring season.

Seems like a recipe for injury.

 

[black17]

I am shocked at the wide disparity in how much practice (with Coaches) and how many innings are allowed at various levels of college softball. My DD's at a DIII are not practicing, scrimmaging or playing anywhere close to what they were used to before college.

There are practice limits for each division. D3's limits are extremely restrictive

 

[Vertigo]

In

Yeah, D3 is lame.
16 practice days with the coaches and 21 innings allowed. For the entire Fall.

Then 3-1/2 months off until Spring season.

Seems like a recipe for injury.

I agree if the sport comes first to the student and not the education piece of college, then it might seem lame.

D3 athletes still put in work in the off-season on their own time. Not worried about injury if they are still working out.

D3 isn’t for everyone, but for the student who wants to focus heavily on their studies, it provides a great balance of being both a student and an athlete.

 

[TMD]

In

I agree if the sport comes first to the student and not the education piece of college, then it might seem lame.

D3 athletes still put in work in the off-season on their own time. Not worried about injury if they are still working out.

D3 isn’t for everyone, but for the student who wants to focus heavily on their studies, it provides a great balance of being both a student and an athlete.

You replied much more nicely than I would have to the very ignorant "D3 is lame" comment. Thank you for that. Everything you said is spot on. I would add that, while it varies from school to school, the "off season" after the short fall ball period still includes a regular and heavy dose of weight room work and overall strength and conditioning. May not be organized softball activities, but it is hardly "3 1/2 months off until the Spring season".

 

[radness]

Yep theres a reason the divisions have different standards.
And colleges within those divisions also can have seperate standards.

Investigate thoroughly the choices!

 

[JumboJack]

There are college freshman all over the country reading this thread and saying “wait, freshman get to pitch in actual games?”


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[black17]

There are college freshman all over the country reading this thread and saying “wait, freshman get to pitch in actual games?”


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I'm guessing they are actually thinking, 'this softball thing isn't so hard'. Little do they know anything goes in fall ball!