When did your DD first throw 60 mph?

[Legendsmom]

My dd is 14 and the last time she was clocked she was hitting 58 consistently. This was in a practice, I imagine she may be a little slower in games. I'm hoping she can start hitting 60 this year, at least that is a goal that she has. She is also only 5'3 so she pitches like she has something to prove.


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[Snotbubbles]

I have a pocket radar ball coach. It definitely clocks a bit slower than the PC's Bushnell. The highest I've clocked her on the pocket radar is 46. The PC's high is 52. On the pocket radar she averages probably 42 in games.

I noticed that too about my Pocket Radar. I clocked a 12u girl at 48 for 3 straight pitches and her mother told me her PC's radar hasn't clocked her under 50 in months. Personally, I use the radar as a tracking and motivational tool. If you consistently use the same radar gun you can track progression.

 

[grcsftbll]

I can understand why people prefer the Bushnells. You get that higher number in addition to it being cheaper. I'd put my money on the pocket radar for accuracy though. The only reason I even care about speed is that a lot of coaches seem so blinded by it.

 

[ScottyDont]

My rising freshman DD hit 63 during practice last week. Typically throws 57-59 in games. As many have said, it's more about the spin once you hit high school.

 

[MNDad]

I noticed that too about my Pocket Radar. I clocked a 12u girl at 48 for 3 straight pitches and her mother told me her PC's radar hasn't clocked her under 50 in months. Personally, I use the radar as a tracking and motivational tool. If you consistently use the same radar gun you can track progression.

Of course she did. Lol. You'll often find that your radar is several mph below what people claim their DD's throw. You've got a good grasp on the greatest benefits of any radar gun. Whatever brand as long as their consistent you can measure progress and they can be a good motivational tool. Some girls get freaked out by the gun so u have to be discreet.

With all the guns I've compared they're almost always within 1-2 mph of each other. The idea some people have that u need to add any mph to a certain brand fits in with Radar Grandpa. IMO the best guns are Pocket Radar because that's what the college coaches will clock her with.

 

[sballdad]

Hit 60 with PC winter of her 8th grade year, but in games mid to high 50's. Dealt with an injury following year in HS and lost speed. Much stronger this past summer and was back to upper 50's/low 60's in games. So far this fall I can tell she is throwing harder than ever, but not really clocking her much anymore as just really focused on mechanics and spin. Plus DD has radar-aphobia...her highest speeds were typically taken when she didn't know it.

 

[STRIKE3]

I can understand why people prefer the Bushnells. You get that higher number in addition to it being cheaper. I'd put my money on the pocket radar for accuracy though. The only reason I even care about speed is that a lot of coaches seem so blinded by it.

First, my DD has not hit 60 yet so I can't answer the original question. However, I do have experience with the Bushnell and the Pocket Radar Ball Coach. I had the Bushnell for a couple of years because it was cheap and got us started. I then kept hearing (internet searches) how it reads low and you need to add 6-7 miles to the reading. I thought that was weird as it would work perfectly when I constantly tested it. Anyway, I was HOPING that it did actually read slow so I bought the PR Ball Coach to confirm. The results were exactly the same...... I have tested these 2 radars multiple times and in my experience they are right on the money or within 1 mph apart depending on your angle. I prefer the Pocket Radar due to size but they have measured the same speed multiple times on multiple occasions.

All that said, you can simply google the Bushnell and see alot of information regarding it reading slower than others so you need to add to the final number. My ASSumption is that others out there (not in this forum) have read that too and add to the final number. So if Sally is pitching 51 on the Bushnell then add 7 mph to it so she throws 58. In my experience, that is not even close to the truth.

With all that said, perhaps I just got lucky and purchased 2 radars that are very accurate. Hope it helps!

Bushnell Radar gun Accuracy? - Pitching - Let's Talk Pitching Baseball Forum

 

[maksoftball]

DD hit 60 junior year. She varies speed a lot with different pitches though so top speed doesn't matter although it's good to mix in with other pitches to keep batter off balance.

 

[Merrill Danner]

DD she just turned 14, has hit 55, but control and mechanics fall off the table, starts to muscle up and it gets ugly. Have gone back to relaxed feel it and throw the ball, still high 40's maybe 50. I don't bring out the radar very often tends to be a distraction. Using Pocket Radar.

 

[Snotbubbles]

In regards to the glove radar, my understanding is that the speed is different because it is measured at a different point. Some radar guns will measure pitch speed at release. This one measures pitch speed at impact with the glove you are catching it with. That is a distance of approximately 35 feet (give or take). According to the manual, you should add 1 mph for every 7 feet the ball travels due to the laws of physics. A ball will not maintain a consistent speed from release to catch due to drag and other factors. The same occurs with a baseball thrown from 60 feet or a ball that is hit. The speed off the bat is higher than the speed when it gets to the fielder.

So, out of curiosity, do you measure speed at release or at catch? FWIW, when you are at a major league ballpark watching Oraldis Chapman hit 100+ mph, that is taken from release. What the batter actually sees is a little bit slower than that.

Pocket Radar is designed to measure the maximum speed wherever that may be during the pitch.