Realistic expectation for starting pitcher

[CatchTheFever]

My daughter is 10 and has been asking me to pitch the past 2 years and I've been reluctant to teach her becasue I didn't want to give her any bad habits. I finally decided to get her set up with a Pitching coach. Her first lesson Thursday.

I'm sure there's not a definitive answer but what is a realistic timeframe for her to be "game ready" assuming she picks it up reasonably well and likes it?

 

[James Smith]

For Rec. probably a month, for TB a little bit longer depending on the level.

Just make sure you practice a few/ couple times a week and she will be game ready before you know it.

Edit: Make sure you practice with a batter occasionally. They don’t need to swing but you want her to be throwing with someone in the box.

 

[JJsqueeze]

My daughter is 10 and has been asking me to pitch the past 2 years and I've been reluctant to teach her becasue I didn't want to give her any bad habits. I finally decided to get her set up with a Pitching coach. Her first lesson Thursday.

I'm sure there's not a definitive answer but what is a realistic timeframe for her to be "game ready" assuming she picks it up reasonably well and likes it?

It took my DD 1 month to be ready to be a #2 10U rec league pitcher. 3 months to be a number 1. I'd be careful about just going to a PC though unless you know enough about what they teach to be able to be a good consumer. My DD has made much faster progress than several girls who have seen PCs for a couple of years with me getting her started and the help of this forum. I only recently passed her off to a PC but only after doing a lot of shopping and research....I don't know how a dad can successfully help a pitcher develop without becoming reasonably knowledgeable about pitching and being confident things are going in the right direction.

 

[JAD]

I would estimate most pitchers take 4-6 months of weekly lessons and practice to become "TB ready". You need to guard against your DD forming bad habits just so she can throw strikes. Learn good mechanics and control and speed will follow.

 

[Sweet Lou]

1st lesson on Thursday? I'd expect nothing less than a shut out on Saturday.

I don't think there is a stock answer. If your DD is a good athlete and learns quick she could be up to speed in a month, other girls may take almost a year to become good pitchers.

A lot depends on how hard your DD works and how quickly she makes adjustments. The level of competition she plays can also be a big factor.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

I say get her in there at the point where she is not throwing excessive walks and/or bean-balls. Could be 3 weeks to three months to never (all based on the individual)

 

[humpty]

With a good coach and practice 3 times a week. I'd say 3 mths she could be good enough for some mound time. For my DD around 9mths she started looking really good. She would still have some bad days but she showed flashes of greatness.

 

[CatchTheFever]

Thanks for the replies. So, it sounds like anywhere from 1 month to 9 months. I was thinking 3-4 months which seems to be the median.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

If she is dedicated, she has a chance at being physically "rec" ready within a couple of months. Remember that not all players can be pitchers; she will need to practice twice as much as the other players on her team; she will need to be mentally strong when winning and when losing; she will need to practice twice as much as the other players on her team (yeah, I said that twice on purpose).