Pitching advice for signals/wrist coaches 10U

[LadyRangers2k11]

I was curious on this subject of pitching signals from coach to catcher. My daughter is 9yrs old and has really moved along in pitching, She has only been doing it since Oct 2019 but she has really taken a liking to it and always challenges herself without me asking its awesome. Her Current max is 42mph, We have been training extra hard on accuracy. I am not in the mindset to jeopardize accuracy for speed. For example once she reaches a new max speed, we work on making sure she can hit her corners and pitchers roughly 90% of the time, once she achieves that we'll work on bumping up the speed, then move back to accuracy drills, repeat.....
But along the way she has perfected her Fastball,2 Changeups and drop ball. I have NO earthly idea on how she perfected the dropball so quick and easy but she has. Pitches she can throw are the following, Fastball, Circle changeup,Cup change up,Dropball,Curveball,Screwball,Hit all her Corners.

Whats the best way to signal to the catcher, or would ya'll just revert to a wrist coach???, I understand in 10U All she'll need is just a good fastball and changeup BUT i would like to get my group of girls 1 step ahead if possible.

 

[Gags]

1. Have your daughter decide what signals she wants to see from the catcher for each pitch.
2. Have your daughter work with your catcher(s) to let them know which ones she prefers to throw, and when.
3. Work with both daughter and catcher(s) to teach them the basics of calling a game (don't throw a CU after a foul ball to the opposite side, if the batter is no where near to catching up to the FB, don't get cute and call something else, etc.).
4. Repeat #3 - repeatedly.
5. Grab a bucket and spend your time yelling at your fielders to wake up, just in case the other team actually manages to make contact.
6. Take pride in the fact that what beat the other 10U team was your battery working together to learn the game, rather than an adult calling the pitches.

 

[heman1202]

Perfected huh? Ok.

Speed and accuracy are not mutually exclusive. You don’t have to work them separately in the grand scheme of things.

(I know that has nothing to do with your question). Are you the head coach?

 

[LadyRangers2k11]

Perfected huh? Ok.

Speed and accuracy are not mutually exclusive. You don’t have to work them separately in the grand scheme of things.

(I know that has nothing to do with your question). Are you the head coach?

Sorry i shouldnt say perfected, But i just mean she throws it with ease with very minimal errors.
Yes i am the head coach.

 

[Hawk_]

At 10u...... Just get a wrist coach and call out the number.

 

[Towny9]

As a 10U coach myself I touch my nose for fastball and my chin for change up followed by one of my ears for location. No one is relaying it even if they knew it was coming and if they did it wouldn’t matter anyway at this age. This way it goes quick and doesn’t slow the game down. I don’t call every pitch I let my catcher call them unless we are falling in a pattern or totally ignoring one pitch or one side of the plate.

I don’t know about the 8 other pitches she throws or having multiple types of change ups. I would just throw the change up that’s better or add other body parts for the other pitches.

The wrist coach is great, but I think they should learn traditional signs first in case a coach later on uses them. If they only learned the wrist coach traditional signs later on may give them trouble, but if they know traditional signs the wrist coach never gives anyone trouble.

 

[Gambler Bob]

I would start working on the rise ball, 6 perfected pitches are not enough at 9 years old. She will need that 7th pitch to really dominate.

 

[radness]

Flashing a number is easier to see than criss crossing the face trying to BE sneaky touching nose ear cheek forhead eyebrow mole dimple...
Good Luck!

 

[radness]

The wrist coach is great, but I think they should learn traditional signs first in case a coach later on uses them. If they only learned the wrist coach traditional signs later on may give them trouble, but if they know traditional signs the wrist coach never gives anyone trouble.

That suggestion goes either way. Learn one and the other at some point.
_________________

Really important for the catcher~
is to know that just because a pitch is called location or spin...
Doesnt mean its actually going there or doing that!

 

[Towny9]

That suggestion goes either way. Learn one and the other at some point.
_________________

Really important for the catcher~
is to know that just because a pitch is called location or spin...
Doesnt mean its actually going there or doing that!

In my experience the wrist coaches require no actual “learning”. They are pretty much idiot proof. I have had catchers I have taught how to use them in the bullpen before the game and they are fine. Traditional signs, indicators, hot signs, verbal signs, body positioning signs, etc... usually five kids way more trouble.

I used the wrist coaches when calling pitches (especially since I only call approx 1/2 of any games pitches. I still prefer the traditional signs for offense and defense. However, if my job security depended on a kid getting a sign correct I would probably change that to the wrist coaches as well.