Question: When do increases in speed taper off?

[RubberBiscuit]

Great info RB. For reference, at what ages did she have growth spurts and when did she stop growing?

-W

This is a tough one - can't remember too much pre-HS - I will have to generalize:

DD was always "tall" for her age and never had any of those huge growth years that some do. She was 5'10" as a freshman and she is just under 6 ft now.

The 15 to 16 year was when her body started to really "muscularize" - if that is a word. Prior to that she was tall and a bit awkward (luv ya honey ;-) ). I remember as a sophomore she took speed & agility classes and that changed her dramatically into a way more all-around athlete.

Then she really kept going with strong training throughout the rest of her HS days up to now as a senior (in fact she left pre-6am this morning again to weight-lift)

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Biscuit was the 50mph at 11 with a big ball?

I am pretty sure she was still with small-ball at 11 (in the 12U bracket)

DD played in her age bracket except for:

14 she played 16U
15 she played 18U
16 she played 16U
17 she played 16U (missed almost whole season with broken back - we were happy to just get her on a team for end of season comeback....)
This coming season she is on 18Ugold.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

I suspect he is looking for a new PC now to help him find 3-4 mph.

THis was a search for the Holy Grail for us.

I thought at one time too that there must be another set of eyes and another way of thinking that would gain DD a MPH here or there. Shopping around for other PC's and getting DD's head all clouded-up with sometimes conflicting thoughts was a HUGE MISTAKE.

I am sure there are success stories when switching PC's but our experience was BAD (not bad other PC's - just that it clouded DD's head with coaching conflict)

 

[Jojo]

My DD's speed was almost spot on to Rubber Biscuits DD's speeds through the ages.

With my current pitchers, I notice speed jumps when they decide to get serious and begin to work regularly. My DD did a 3mph speed jump her freshman year in college after a heavy fall season of weight lifting.

I don't buy into topping out at 16.

 

[joemcq51]

Here is my DD progression chart by age. She got serious at 11
11- 48 Rec All Stars
12- 51 TB 12-under
13- 53 TB 16U
14- 56 TB 16U/18U- Clocked at NFCA recruitment camp. Also had spin rate of 26 RPS. That has been a huge focus

She turns 15 next month. We are hoping for one more growth spurt and speed gain. If she gains 1 mph per year, she will be at 60mph as a senior. If there is a growth spurt that can give her an additional 2-3 mph, she will be right where she wants to be on the top end.

 

[cendro]

our experience with our DD

age 10 (5'0) 47
age 11 (5'2) 50
age 12 (5'3) 54
age 13 (5'5) 58
age 14 (5'7) 60

***these numbers are all numbers from her pitching coach in lessons. She was at a big 10 camp this summer and they had her at 56-58consistently while pitching live. She is not muscular in the upper part of her body at all and will start strength training with the high school this fall (she is 2017).

She may have an inch or so to go in height (mom is 5'11 dad)

These numbers also fluctuate so for example, after the summer she had a video pitching lesson because her speed was off 3 miles per hour and it turns out, her mechanics needed tuned up (not enough leg drive, head coming forward a bit)- once she corrected these things, her speed returned to where it was.

I think its a combination of proper mechanics and god given ability....i personally know a junior who just committed to NIU who is all of 5'2 maybe 105 pounds but can cruise upper 50's low 60's in a game with GREAT movement.

 

[Jojo]

I think its a combination of proper mechanics and god given ability....i personally know a junior who just committed to NIU who is all of 5'2 maybe 105 pounds but can cruise upper 50's low 60's in a game with GREAT movement.

My DD ha a good friend who was 5'2", she threw 57-58 in college.
She also had a 6'2" Canadian on her college team that threw for 3 years on the side-lines just working on mechanics with an occasional inning. Never threw over 54mph.

 

[cendro]

it is funny how it works out that way... I think proper mechanics are a big factor but i also think that some kids just have god given talent to get that speed. A girl from our state, Erin Gabriel (U Tenn) was not a very tall girl (5'7) but was quite muscular and had great mechanics- she was clocked at 67-71 in games against my daughter's high school team. Erin had god given talent coupled with great mechanics and a superior work ethic.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

"God-given-talent"

Brings me back to my "no-duh" recommendation to parents & coaches of young players (you might be surprised how many times I heard "We should have gotten her started earlier...." -

At 8-11 yrs old, If yer kid is the one that all the other players don't want to play catch with because "she throws too hard",....please,....get them into pitching (of course only if they like it..... - gotta say that for all the "feel-good" folks out there...)

 

[coach james]

My dd started pitching at 11 (almost 12) with a hello elbow style, and hovered around mid 40's for almost three years!!! We switched over to an I/R based style about a year and a half ago. She now averages mid 50's with tremendous movement and is getting faster seemingly daily. A lot has to do with a big growth spurt as well as a new found love for training. I'd imagine that by the time she gets to 18yrs old she'll most likely be in the low to mid 60's. (Keepin my fingers crossed!)