- May 25, 2010
- 1,070
- 0
Is it a really bad idea to have DD practicing and receiving instruction at one distance, while she pitches games at a shorter distance with a smaller ball?
Mixing ball sizes and pitching distances
- Thread starter SoftSocDad
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
Uh...how short of a distance and how big of a ball? Are we talking throwing from 45 feet with a regular softball and then pitching from 35 feet with an 11 inch ball? Or are we talking about throwing from 60 feet with a mush ball?
It really depends on how the girl throws from the greater distance. If the girl is throwing with a lot of arc on the ball, then she is simply learning about how to maximize distance based upon the release angle. If the girl is throwing with little or no variation in her release angle, then distance throwing increases speed, strength and accuracy.
Have the girl throw from her normal pitching distance, and then take one step back. If she can throw it to the glove without arcing the ball too much, then you have her take a step back. You repeat throwing, reviewing the arc, and take one step back, until she put too much arc on the ball. Then, you have her take one step forward (which is the last point where the arc was acceptable) and have her pitch from there.
It really depends on how the girl throws from the greater distance. If the girl is throwing with a lot of arc on the ball, then she is simply learning about how to maximize distance based upon the release angle. If the girl is throwing with little or no variation in her release angle, then distance throwing increases speed, strength and accuracy.
Have the girl throw from her normal pitching distance, and then take one step back. If she can throw it to the glove without arcing the ball too much, then you have her take a step back. You repeat throwing, reviewing the arc, and take one step back, until she put too much arc on the ball. Then, you have her take one step forward (which is the last point where the arc was acceptable) and have her pitch from there.
- May 25, 2010
- 1,070
- 0
Thanks for those tips.
30' w/10" vs 35' w/11" ball
She only has about 600-700 throws under her belt at the longer distance, but she's adjusting pretty well so far. It's not just about getting her to the next level - the camp she will be going to has the young girls working with the 11" ball and I didn't want her to show up completely unprepared.
30' w/10" vs 35' w/11" ball
She only has about 600-700 throws under her belt at the longer distance, but she's adjusting pretty well so far. It's not just about getting her to the next level - the camp she will be going to has the young girls working with the 11" ball and I didn't want her to show up completely unprepared.
No. You are doing fine.
I just switched a girl that is about to turn 11. I switched her to 12 inches and then, I will gradually move her back to 40 feet.
She still has a few more games at 10U.
I just switched a girl that is about to turn 11. I switched her to 12 inches and then, I will gradually move her back to 40 feet.
She still has a few more games at 10U.
Amy, is that how we should do it: move them to the bigger ball first, and then the longer distance?
I have one that needs to start working up to 12"/40' also..
and dang, woman! Wanna come to Texas so I can hire you as my DD's coach??
I always think about vacationing for a week in Tex. I have family in League City, Austin, and Houston. I could actually stay with the League City people.
I move them to the big ball at 35 feet for a few weeks. After they are comfortable with it, we play long toss pitching. Before they know it, they are at 40 feet.
If you are wealthy, like so many softball parents
, just send the plane ticket.
I am going to send you a PM, with my website.
I move them to the big ball at 35 feet for a few weeks. After they are comfortable with it, we play long toss pitching. Before they know it, they are at 40 feet.
If you are wealthy, like so many softball parents
, just send the plane ticket.I am going to send you a PM, with my website.
In my area, which is the northeast, they use an 11" ball and throw from 35' for the 10 and 11 year olds. When they are 12 the leagues change to a 12'' ball and go to 40' in distance. I do not find it a problem moving them up in size and increasing the distance at the 11 to 12 yr. old transition. I think it would be harder if it was done at 10 years old because some of the hand sizes are just too small.
- May 25, 2010
- 1,070
- 0
Thanks, Amy. She's done some 35' only workouts with the 11", but today and yesterday, she's asked to do split workouts (30', then 35' and 10", then 11"). She's a little on the tall side for her age...it's hard for me to imagine many 7YOs playing with the 11" ball.
I let her choose her own workouts each day - my job is to limit the total number of throws and to call balls/strikes if she wants me to - but after camp, I'll do my best to get her to devote more time to the shorter distance, as she's pitching 8u in the fall.
The academy coaches want to keep her at 35', though.
I let her choose her own workouts each day - my job is to limit the total number of throws and to call balls/strikes if she wants me to - but after camp, I'll do my best to get her to devote more time to the shorter distance, as she's pitching 8u in the fall.
The academy coaches want to keep her at 35', though.
I have a first year U10 that pitches some U12 as well - throws around 45mph or so... She switches back and forth from 35'/11" to 40'/12" without much problem. Usually just needs a few pitches to get the release point down. It seems like pitching from the farther distance with a bigger ball helps to get her arm speed up so we typically warm her up at the greater distance with the bigger ball and then move her up closer to 35' for the final stages of her pre-game warm-up. Every girl is going to be different, though, so just try it and see how it goes.
I was thinking about this last night. Many of the younger teams play up in our area. Pitching is 40 feet at the younger levels, but 43 feet at the older levels. I have noticed pitchers need time to adjust the movement pitches. So going back and forth a good thing for a younger team that is trying to go to Nationals? I think they are messing up the timing of the pitcher. We hit the crap out of a girl that was doing this.
