Transitioning to 12 inch ball

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Jun 8, 2019
43
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If DD has fairly good IR mechanics and understands whip then it should not take long. If not - 40 feet will expose that. You can be offline a bit at 35 feet and it be not far off the plate but that extra 5 feet will make it considerably off the plate.

My DD made this transition not long ago and it took her about 3 weeks to get right back to the same accuracy. Now speed - the experts here advised me that the jump in ball/distance would take speed down 5mph, and they were pretty well dead on. In about 3 months she had recovered it all.

Honestly- nothing to be nervous about. Just plan to practice more frequently and in smaller doses and it will come back in short order. Frustration sets in - quit and come back tomorrow.
Wish she started learning IR in the beginning but her HE pitching coach actually taught her pretty good mechanics so transitioning to IR actually has not been as painful.

We are hoping that learning IR will take her pitching to the next level. Just worried about accuracy and when to practice, for example, after the season, during the season, before tryout season. Don't want to mess with her accuracy in season.
 
Nov 8, 2018
774
63
They do grow up fast! I feel like I have bought three different size cleats in one season, which I guess is good. DD is going through a growth spurt.

We are working on her leg drive and to be more explosive off the mound now. Just afraid of working with a bigger ball and messing with her accuracy while in season. We have a few more tournaments coming up and the coach wants her to be prepared to pitch in those games. But it is tryout season and she wants to also be prepared to pitch a 12inch ball too.

Does anyone have experience with 11u/12u tryouts and suggestions on how to prepare to pitch in tryouts? What should we expect, in general? Do they allow pitchers to pitch an 11inch ball since thats what they are used to? Or do they have them pitch the 12inch?

14u. 12 “ my friend.


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Jul 1, 2019
172
43
Does anyone have experience with 11u/12u tryouts and suggestions on how to prepare to pitch in tryouts? What should we expect, in general? Do they allow pitchers to pitch an 11inch ball since thats what they are used to? Or do they have them pitch the 12inch?

My DD is just finishing her first year of 12u. All the teams she tried out for leading into this year all had tryouts with a 12" ball. It's what they're going to be using, no real reason to see what they did with an 11", it's about what they can with a 12". That being said, don't worry too much about it. Most coaches know that the 12" is new to most of them and they expect a little accuracy difficulty. The extra 5 feet isn't as much of a problem as you would expect either, speed/spin will also suffer a little at first. Our girls made the transition pretty quickly. As soon as our last game of 10u was over, we literally switched over to 12" that day and I put the 11's up. A dozen or so practice sessions before tryouts and you'll be fine.
 
Jun 8, 2019
43
8
My DD is just finishing her first year of 12u. All the teams she tried out for leading into this year all had tryouts with a 12" ball. It's what they're going to be using, no real reason to see what they did with an 11", it's about what they can with a 12". That being said, don't worry too much about it. Most coaches know that the 12" is new to most of them and they expect a little accuracy difficulty. The extra 5 feet isn't as much of a problem as you would expect either, speed/spin will also suffer a little at first. Our girls made the transition pretty quickly. As soon as our last game of 10u was over, we literally switched over to 12" that day and I put the 11's up. A dozen or so practice sessions before tryouts and you'll be fine.
Ideal situation for us would be to get the practice in after the season is over and before tryouts begin. Unfortunately, tryouts are happening now and her season is not over until end of July. And with her being new to IR, it makes the transition from 11inch to 12inch a bit more challenging with the extra 5 feet. We have barely touched the 12 inch ball when practicing just because she still has 2 tournaments coming up and is the #1 pitcher. So its one of those things where something may have to suffer. Her pitching in tournaments or her pitching in tryouts.
 
Jul 1, 2019
172
43
Ideal situation for us would be to get the practice in after the season is over and before tryouts begin. Unfortunately, tryouts are happening now and her season is not over until end of July. And with her being new to IR, it makes the transition from 11inch to 12inch a bit more challenging with the extra 5 feet. We have barely touched the 12 inch ball when practicing just because she still has 2 tournaments coming up and is the #1 pitcher. So its one of those things where something may have to suffer. Her pitching in tournaments or her pitching in tryouts.
In that case I'd personally have her slowly work into the 12" now. Have her get warmed up as usual, then throw some with the 12". Even if you only have a week to work on it, a hundred+ pitches with the 12" over the next week could make her way more comfortable, even overhand throwing in the yard with her will make the ball feel not so big in her hands. No matter what, I'd make sure she's finishing pitching sessions (at least last 20-25 pitches) with the 11" until she's done with the tourney's. The 11" is all she's known to this point, she's not going to lose that muscle memory just because she's throwing a 12" a little. And, ultimately, most coaches are still going to understand that the 12" is new to them. Her attitude, mound presence, form and effort will still speak volumes for her at tryouts, more so that being a little off with a new 12" ball. Remind her to not get frustrated as she makes the transition in practice, it's a learning curve just like anything else, but won't be as bad as you both fear.
 

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