Pitching how much is to much where to draw the line?

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May 13, 2021
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I know this is going to vary by age and opinions, so lets just say for 10u 12u 14u and up. Where is the limit that you would let a coach pitch your kid, lets just say in a one day tournament, or in a two day tournament. Seen a girl pithing in 10u this weekend that pitched 6 games in a 1 day tournament, I would not have allowed that, but not sure where that line should be or where some of you with DD's that are pitchers draw that line. I would think two games in one day would be as much as anyone should pitch. Not sure how that translates into a two day tournament maybe no more than three games in two day. At some point a parent has to draw the line somewhere.
 
Jan 28, 2017
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Pitch count and if they are laboring is the most important aspect, IMO. Two maybe three games is a good rule.
 
Dec 6, 2019
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Oct 4, 2018
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We actually left a team because she pitched too much. At 12, she was pitching 4 games per day. Games are short, and she doesn't need a ton of pitches to get through them, but she would wake up a bit sore (not hurt, sore) the next day a few times.

We purposefully found a team with two other amazing pitchers. It's nice that she can now pitch about 2 games per day, go all out in those games, and keep her pitch count in check and her body healthy. And pretty cool being on a team with 3 stud pitchers. That's new to us.
 
May 17, 2012
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At some point a parent has to draw the line somewhere.

Why should there be ONE line for all pitchers? Every pitcher is different.

Pitcher parents complain that they don't get enough innings. Pitcher parents complain because they get too many innings.
 
May 13, 2021
643
93
We actually left a team because she pitched too much. At 12, she was pitching 4 games per day. Games are short, and she doesn't need a ton of pitches to get through them, but she would wake up a bit sore (not hurt, sore) the next day a few times.

We purposefully found a team with two other amazing pitchers. It's nice that she can now pitch about 2 games per day, go all out in those games, and keep her pitch count in check and her body healthy. And pretty cool being on a team with 3 stud pitchers. That's new to us.
This is the reason all the best pitchers end up on the same teams.
 
May 13, 2021
643
93
Why should there be ONE line for all pitchers? Every pitcher is different.

Pitcher parents complain that they don't get enough innings. Pitcher parents complain because they get too many innings.
I would guess for the same reason all pitchers in baseball have the same line.

The other part is because the pitchers talent level is mismatched for the team they are on.
 
Jan 22, 2011
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Not up to date on latest research, but my rule of thumb has always been 2-3 games a weekend, perhaps going to a 4th game for qualifier or national championship tournaments. People were starting to admit there should be limits. If a pitcher has very good mechanics they can pitch maybe 2 games a day, if they have less than great mechanics 1 game a day.

It also depends on what pitches a pitcher is using. All the experts I follow recommend no more than 3 screwballs a game, at most one screwball an inning total for the game. I've seen pitchers whose riseball motion is similar to a screwball motion. I almost lost it once when I heard a coach say, "We are only pitching her this inning because her arm is sore, so we can call a lot of screwballs".

Pitchers should listen to their arms and look into armcare/warmups similar to this one: https://www.paulygirlfastpitch.com/pre-lesson-warm-up-indoor/

Problem is in most pitcher's parents eyes the ideal team is two P1's and someone who is a good pitcher that doesn't care how much they pitch. Best team my DD was on had three very good pitchers all basically at the same level and she was the 4th pitcher. She didn't care how much she pitched and only pitched in about 5 games of the ~80 they played that spring/summer. She did her part by keeping the other pitchers on their toes to keep working hard. Team drama was caused by parent who though their DD should be pitching at least half the innings.
 

LEsoftballdad

DFP Vendor
Jun 29, 2021
2,838
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NY
All the experts I follow recommend no more than 3 screwballs a game, at most one screwball an inning total for the game.
Does Elizabeth Hightower throw anything but a screwball? I agree that the motion is wonky, but three a game seems very low unless they're talking about much younger girls.

My daughter's rise motion is much more like a curve than a screw motion. Most who throw the screw tend to all off to the first base side after release.
 

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