How Often...

[DD11]

How often should a 9 year old, rec, first time pitcher be practicing?

We have her formal practice with her coach once per week - everything else is on her. With the cold weather, obviously we're not at the fields, however, I'm not seeing the "drive" that I want to see from her.

Part of me says - "Relax, she's 9." the other part of me says, "She's being lazy".


What experiences do or did you have?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

My experience is that you will have to ask her to throw (pitch) with you for a couple of years. Is there a garage, basement, church gym or similar that you can use? If not, throw outside when possible and set her up a hitting station, in the garage.

She can practice her arm circles and leap and drag, without even using a ball. I like for my students to be able to see themselves in a mirror or window. Make certain that she isn't learning to lean forward at the waist, when she releases the ball. The stork drill can work pretty good, in a small amount of space.

It is doing her no good to visit a pitching coach, when she isn't practicing at home, at least 3 days a week. (20-30 minutes, would be fine.) I liken it to piano. You wouldn't go to lessons, if you weren't practicing.

 

[Perfect Circle]

Build a routine time...at least 10 min a day... Get a blind fold, and have her pitch in super slow motion. Have her squeeze a tennis ball. Here is one we started out doing.... just to make sure some time is getting put in ! Back in the day :{))

Stairs - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqvwNcNgubQ

Once we learned she needed to keep the glove up, we stopped it, (it kept the swimming out) and moved on to holding glove up and throwing ball into 3rd stair...then on and on..... here she is this weekend, she is 10 now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84-_MHrlAU8

 

[David Carter]

Not sure what your climate is but I'm not asking anyone to go out in freezing weather for an hour and pitch balls.

I am assuming we are talking pitching practice.

She should have been assigned drills that she can do inside in the garage or basement without a ball and also with a ball usually into her glove, there is no reason not to do these almost everyday for 10 or 15 minutes, she should be focusing on her mechanics, getting set on the mound, pushing off correctly, use a power line to keep her straight, etc. When the weather permits she should be out for a longer session maybe half an hour a couple times a week. That is about 2 hours a week outside of practice, that is not as much as she should be doing during the season but I think it's a reasonable expectation if she is trying to learn during the winter.

It should be interesting to see what others think...

 

[DD11]

Her biggest thing is, once she perfects one aspect - another issues comes up. Usually due to over compensating or being too tight.

Biggest thing is showing her muscle instead of staying straight, something I think she will learn better with muscle memory and more practice. All part of my "she should practice more" theory.


I think I will make her a practice board, somewhat like some do with chore lists.

 

[DD11]

No, her pitching coach has his own facilitiy, we're not out in the 30 degrees pitching yet.

I have set up the garage for her.

 

[DD11]

PC - You're brave. Ha!

 

[David Carter]

Garage is great...also remember practice does not make perfect...perfect practice makes perfect. You need to monitor her very closely to make sure she is understanding what was emphasized during the lastpractice lesson and that she is not getting muscle memory into bad habits.

 

[Perfect Circle]

PC - You're brave. Ha!

brave.... or just a gluten for punishment...

Hey since you got a PC, I would ask him to get you a video of one of the girls that have meet his goals... If he don't have one, then ask him who his favorite pitcher is. If you can see where your supposed to be going, you can work at it more deliberately.

"Yesterday is gone. Not enough hour's in Today... You are what you can see Yourself to Be..." ~PC

 

[chinamigarden]

My answer might be a bit different then some. Work as often as you can to keep the game fun for her. If its once a week or 3 times a week. Whatever it is that she enjoys. My dd hasn't picked up a ball to pitch since August. She is too busy to practice pitching every year it's the same she starts working I January and by the first game of the year she is right where she wants to be and mentally fresher then the kids who are forced to pitch all year.