To Pitch or Not to Pitch

[Beeg]

DD joined her current 10U team last year. She loves this team, good coaches and great teammates. However, we haven't gotten a lot of games in this season (only one tournament so far, and 2 more scheduled. We are disappointed with the lack of playtime, but that's another story.) When we asked her to practice pitching, she would respond, "We don't have any games scheduled, so what's the point?"

She got as much pitching time as the coaches could give her given the few games we've played so far. However, we feel that she hasn't pitched enough in 10U. She isn't tall so she doesn't have much speed, but she could place the ball well and pitch several different types of pitches.

We are thinking to have her quit pitching in 12U in the Fall. We worry that with so little real game experience, that she would not be able to keep up when she moves up to 12" ball and farther distance. My question is, does having actual game playtime important for a pitcher at 10U? Is she going to be behind when she goes to 12U? I don't want to ask her PC b/c I don't want her to know yet if we decide to quit pitching.

 

[ang2bmd]

The way I see it here your bigger problem is that she doesn't want to practice. If she were practicing every day and developing I'd say no problem. She can absolutely have success in 12u being smaller with good change of speed and placement. She absolutely cannot be successful at any age if she doesn't practice. Leave it up to her and if she starts getting shelled in 12s she'll either practice or quit...either say lesson learned.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[quincy]

She needs to practice and she will be successful.

The moving to the 12" ball cuts both ways. 1st year 12U players are going to have trouble hitting the ball for awhile. DD had more trouble hitting then pitching when she made the change.

 

[sluggers]

When we asked her to practice pitching, she would respond, "We don't have any games scheduled, so what's the point?"

This suggests to me that she doesn't like pitching.

It takes a special kind of crazy to be a pitcher. A rational, sane person would not pitch.

Your DD could have figured out that she isn't crazy, and therefore doesn't want to pitch.

My question is, does having actual game playtime important for a pitcher at 10U?

It is important to find out if she likes to pitch.

Is she going to be behind when she goes to 12U?

Monica Abbott started pitching when she was 12YOA. So, no, your DD won't be behind.

Keep in mind that your DD will get a whole new body when she is 13YOA or so. 10U ball and 12U ball is fun, but it really isn't an indicator of your DD's future success.

She isn't tall so she doesn't have much speed, but she could place the ball well and pitch several different types of pitches.

Your DD doesn't have several different kinds of pitchers. 30YOA Clayton Kershaw, one of the best pitchers in the MLB, has three.

I'm not sure what your PC is like...but having a 10YOA girl work on a bunch of different pitches is not very smart.

 

[Dandan111]

She's only 10. Take a break. Let her decide.

 

[grcsftbll]

Pitchers have to practice to be successful. Are there other teams near you that actually play? Whether she's playing or not she needs to practice - we take a month off in the summer and another in December but other than that my pitcher practices 2-4X per week year round. But it's hard to stay motivated when we're not playing.