8 Under machine pitch???

[Amy in AZ.]

It is my belief that any little girl should be able to learn to pitch. Of course, they have to want to learn how. You don't know how many men (in this case) that I can't get to believe that they can pitch themselves, to their girls. It is like some of the men think that the windmill pitch is some kind of voodoo.

Pitching is like anything else, it takes practice.

Sunday I will take some video of a tiny 8yo, that won't be 9 until March. She is pitching in 10U. She is not a phenom. She couldn't even catch a ball 6 months ago.

If the boys are playing kid pitch, I think that I would put my DD in that league. (I did that when she was in 3rd grade.)

 

[CPEM]

I've seen a few people comment on here that the rec organizations that take "ownership" of pitching seem to do well. How do I, as a league admin, take "ownership" of pitching. I take my daughter to a pitching coach once a week, but other parents either lack the financial resources or time or desire to do the same. Should I try to schedule a series of pitching clinics during the off season (between fall and springball)? If so, what should I look for in these pitching clinics? How often? Once a week, every two weeks, or once a month? Our league used to be run by some very selfish individuals, and I've slowly transitioned it away from that mentality to one that emphasizes that we will do whatever is best for the league, not just my daughters. Overcoming that mentality is still a work in progress, as I still get the "what's in it for me" question whenever I ask someone to step up. I want to have more pitchers in the league, I just fear the inevitable "you are spending league money on a few girls" complaint. How do I make this equitable? Or should I even care? I was thinking of hosting a series of clinics put on by a local pitching coach and opening it up to everyone. If you show up, good. If you don't, then you have no place to complain. What do you guys think?

 

[DD11]

We have machine pitch in 8U. I recommended that they make 6 and 7 year olds play machine pitch and institute a girl / coach pitch in 8U. Didnt work, but watching girls that are turning 9 in 2 months crank out fly balls to the outfield is ridiculous when the 6 year olds can barely swing the bat.

 

[DefiantGray]

Currently coaching an 8u machine pitch rec team and probably be my last for machine pitch. I've seen too many hands/fingers get blown up during the games and cage practice. I have one girl (6yr) whio is very afraid to get in the batting cage with the pitching machine; she has no experience, 1st season. Travel Ball in our area is all coach pitch, I know that is where i am leaning towards in the spring. My "experienced" 8u players can crack the ball being coach pitched at good speed, with the machine it seems like they're going oppo everytime. I've also scheduled some pitching lessons for my team, $30 per hr and have three kids that get 20min per player. i dont think a 7yr can last an hour with pitching lessons.

 

[Axe]

I've seen a few people comment on here that the rec organizations that take "ownership" of pitching seem to do well. How do I, as a league admin, take "ownership" of pitching. I take my daughter to a pitching coach once a week, but other parents either lack the financial resources or time or desire to do the same. Should I try to schedule a series of pitching clinics during the off season (between fall and springball)? If so, what should I look for in these pitching clinics? How often? Once a week, every two weeks, or once a month? Our league used to be run by some very selfish individuals, and I've slowly transitioned it away from that mentality to one that emphasizes that we will do whatever is best for the league, not just my daughters. Overcoming that mentality is still a work in progress, as I still get the "what's in it for me" question whenever I ask someone to step up. I want to have more pitchers in the league, I just fear the inevitable "you are spending league money on a few girls" complaint. How do I make this equitable? Or should I even care? I was thinking of hosting a series of clinics put on by a local pitching coach and opening it up to everyone. If you show up, good. If you don't, then you have no place to complain. What do you guys think?

The league can push to help pitchers in several ways. Clinics is the start, we are frequently able to get an instructor who teaches at our park to do them for free basically in exchange for referrals. Try to have several clinics and encourage them to practice in between. League directors can also constantly hammer home the importance of parents "taking ownership" of the daughters pitching and how much work is involved with becoming a pitcher. Yes, that drives some away but also solidifies the conviction of those who are attempting. The argument that you are spending time and resources on a small group doesn't hold water with me. With pitchers you have no league, a rec league will gradually die if it can't develop pitchers because the quality of play will be so low and so boring that people will find other places to play or more likely give up the game.

 

[Coachmom]

Our league does Sunday clinics for pitchers. We pay a pitching instructor to come out every Sunday afternoon. The parent just needs to get the kids there and catch for them.
Coaches at the younger levels should encourage everyone on their team that wants to pitch in a game to attend the pitching clinics. When I coached at 8U I told all the players and their parents that anyone who went to the Sunday pitching clinic was guaranteed to pitch an inning in the next game. I always brought my DD to the league clinics even though she already had a pitching coach and was taking weekly lessons. It was just another practice for her and it supported the league.
We developed a lot of "potential" pitchers for our league by doing that and we were able to put 2 pitchers on each team at the 10U level because of the pitching clinics.

 

[quincy]

Your goal should be to provide free resources to the Players that want to learn pitch. You are not trying to develop a D1 pitcher that is up to the parents and players to do themselves. You might get them hooked on pitching at a young age and start their journey but the time and financial commitment for thus is up to them. You are trying to develop adequate pitchers.

It is probably a good assumption that the 8U and 10U coaches do not have a clue about pitching.

Goods news is your DD goes to a PC and there are other parents out there that do to. Believe it not you are all better qualified then the HC that spent the night in a Holiday Inn express.

Not sure what age range your league runs through but if it goes up a few age groups see if you can get the older and “better” pitchers to volunteer their help to work with the younger players.

If you have a HS in your area try and see if you can get some of their resources to volunteer time, they need some volunteer time for their college application and since you are nonprofit you count.

Basically beg, borrow and steal anyone who has a clue about pitching and setup free pitching clinics.

Next option, not mutually exclusive, would be paid pitching clinics. I would pass the cost of this on directly to the pitchers. You should be able to get a very attractive rate if you have enough interest.

Again you are just trying to get the pitchers going, have a PC or facility ready to recommend once they exceed your ability to help them.

As far as the offseason goes here in Chicago pitching outside can be rough. Good news is we have a relationship with the school district and get free gym space once a week. Might be able to get more. Make sure you check your insurance before you try to do things in the offseason.

I could ramble on but will get beat up enough for the above.

 

[CPEM]

Thanks, quincy and everyone else. These are all excellent ideas and I hope I can get enough support and help to put them into play.

 

[ConorMacleod]

In the Sacramento area we had player pitch at 8U (with a 10" ball), with Coach save. Batter inherited the strike count. Then we moved to Iowa and had Coach pitch for 8U. So, my DD went from hitting against players to hitting against coaches again. She didn't seem to mind as she was jacking balls to the outfield all the time. In our current REC league we have 10U player pitch with Coach save (3 pitches max, more if foul balls). 10U tournament ball it is straight up player pitch with walks and hit batters. Our league has pitching scholarships every winter to prepare girls for pitching at 10U. Scholarships are try-outs for 7-10 year olds to get one-on-one lessons during the winter. If a girl is awarded a scholarship she is not eligible to get another scholarship the following winter. The premise is, the league will pay for your daughter to get started in pitching, but then it is up to the parents and players to continue on their own if they so choose. The league will also offset the cost of being an individual member at the only indoor cages in town in order to encourage people to practice all winter. The league pays for teams to be members at the indoor cages, but then the team can only practice with the entire team and the coach.