New 9u pitcher. Timeline progression?

[JAD]

My DD started about the same age as yours. We started pitching lessons in June after our first year 10U team split up (half the girls, including both pitchers, aged up to 12U) leaving us NO PITCHERS. DD volunteered to try it, and began lessons. We played in a couple of low level B/C tournaments that Fall, then had 4 months to get her ready for TB the following March. Since then she has added @ 5MPH/year to her pitching speed. Some from additional practice/reps and some from growth. She is about to turn 14, so the 5MPH/year are now harder to come by!!!! LOL

 

[gophert]

My daughter is 9 and started taking lessons June 2012. It was rough for a month or so (and we still have days). We would practice about 30-45 mins 5 days a week. She pitched her first game in mid-august. I personally thought the games actually helped her instead of hurting her. It's one thing to pitch in practice to me, it was a totally different animal in the game with the added stress. I think it showed her she needed to work harder. I did not notice any bad habits creeping in. Usually just had to remind her to throw hard. She pitched 18 innings (our fall league rotates every 2 innings) with a total of 667 pitches. 282 strikes and 385 balls. At 42% strike ratio, I was very pleased. We did notice a pretty big increase in velocity throughout the season. She is now much more accurate and can hit her corners with regularity and we have just introduced the change-up. We are 4 months in and still practicing 5 days a week. Hope this helps.

 

[Sparky Guy]

So you are saying they that in the early months it is better for her not pitch? cause she has not.

I asked her PC and he advised that we should waith until a couple more months. Ive seen far worse pitchers than what my DD is like now and wondered if game time experience would be more advantageous.

If you put her in a game before she is ready you're setting her up for failure. Listen to your PC. Make sure her mechanics and foundation are fundamentally sound. Then let her attack the hitters with confidence. You'll be surprised how much that helps.

 

[gophert]

Then let her attack the hitters with confidence. You'll be surprised how much that helps.

Now this I would have to agree with. I think the only problem my daughter had with pitching in a game so soon was the "attack with confidence" part of it. She was just trying to get it over the plate, but really struggled with finishing batters off. She would have a 1-2 count and then could not get them out. Even at a young age I think it would have been better for her to have a pitch she KNEW should could throw with confidence and it may have helped her finish those batters. By the end of the season (last 3 games) she did start to finish batters off better, but that was definitely the one thing she struggled with.

 

[CoachG]

Thanks for all your posts. I'm not expecting instant success and I am weary of any PC that claims that. Nothing is given, everything must be earned. Nice to know all your thoughts n comments.

 

[Carly]

I've taught a lot of 9 and 10-year-olds and I have to say there really is no timeline. As a coach I sort of have a timeline that I like to shoot for if possible, but it really varies from kid to kid so I've learned to be flexible. I've had miracle 9-year-olds get it immediately and become the talk of the town, only to level out at age 13 because they just stayed skinny and never broke 5' tall. I've also had kids who looked completely hopeless for a full 2 to 3 years at the beginning all of a sudden just get it, and go on to be all-stars.

There are so many factors, from height and weight, to body type, to when the kid has her growth spurt and how her body reacts to it, to what's going inside the kid's head, that if you try to nail it down you'll just be frustrated. Try to go with the flow, and unless it's an issue of commitment level and enjoyment, don't write the kid off for a few years yet.

Now, you may not want to hold the pitching coach to the same standards. Look at his/her older students and see what they've accomplished. Do your homework and ask questions, and make sure what's being taught makes logical sense to you AND your daughter. If everything looks good, be patient and trust the coach. If not, find someone who makes sense to you.

 

[Perfect Circle]

because they just stayed skinny and never broke 5' tall.

Carly... I like your posts, most all of them...that being said, let me give you something for the skinny ones....

Netherlands vs USA

 

[Axe]

I like to get them in a couple of games after a month or two of practices. Preferably something safe like closed innings in a fall rec league. There are two reasons, the first is that the need to get a taste of the games to drive their motivation to practice and get better, second there is simply no substitute for circle time. They have to learn to deal with the differences that they feel mentally and physiologically between practice and games. You can't teach experience and the sooner they start getting it the better, IMHO.

 

[FrozenRope]

Hmmm... Hope I didn't make a mistake. After reading the majority of the posters say that they should NOT pitch until they get the mechanics down is not what we did. DD is 10 and just started pitching lessons the end of July. She's had 9 lessons. I'd say after lesson #5 or 6, Fall Ball started. Our 3 "regular" pitchers were strugling mightily, so I decided, what the heck, she can't do any worse than the regulars. It's Rec League so there is a 3 run/inning limit, but no walk limit. First outing she gave up the 3 runs with only one hit and one strikout in a single inning. That happened in her first 2 games pitching. I only let her pitch one inning, as I could see her getting frustrated.

Well. last game was this past weekend and she pitched 2 innings, 3 K's and a walk in the first, and 3K's and 4 walks in the second. She pitched a total of about 12 innings in FB. I don't know that she would have been as motivated to practice, had she not gotten a taste of what it feels like to be on the mound. After those first 2 innings she pitched, she was more motivated to practice with focus.

 

[Axe]

Sounds like you did it right to me.