Transitioning to 12 inch ball

[bmd]

Don't make it a big deal to your dd. When my dd moved back.... the pitching rubber in the yard was pushed back without her know. After her first pitch session. I said you threw good today. Did you know you were 5 feet further back? She said no. I said well you should be just fine. biggest adjustment we faced was going to the bigger ball. speed and control suffered for a bit.

 

[JillMS923]

DD did long toss so the transion was OK. If not doing already your DD should be doing long toss with the 11" ball.

Hitting was a bigger adjustment for her then pitching. It took a little while for the ball to go any where.

Did the long toss mess with her accuracy?

 

[JillMS923]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I also don't want her to get discouraged if her speed and accuracy goes down while using the 12 inch. She is so competitive that she gets frustrated easily with herself and visibly shows emotions while in a game (i.e. shoulder slumping on the mound after walking a batter). Talked to PC about that. They had a long discussion about mental composure on the mound.

 

[coachbubbles]

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.

 

[Stewbeth]

What is your favorite ball brand, durability, comfort, etc.

 

[JillMS923]

What is your favorite ball brand, durability, comfort, etc.

I don't really pay as much attention as I should when I'm catching for her. She prefers the softballs with the seams that she can feel better. Does not like the Dicks brand. I think there is one she likes called the dream stitch, or something like that.

 

[DrRiello]

It’s not a big deal. Have her do some long toss from 35 out to her max then back to 43. She won’t know the difference.


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[tomorrow]

Should transitioning to 12" require a larger glove?

 

[Mike-Coach-Q]

I carry a 14 inch ball in my bag. Play catch with it and do some easy underhand snaps. Its so huge to the pitcher, they laugh about it but when she starts warming up with the 12 inch no more issues over the transition. As far as the distance, I have her throw 5 to 7 more feet at the end of the lesson focusing on more leg push and drive with the 11 inch ball. That 14 inch ball can be used later for spins.

It's funny what they ask about, just started teaching the granddaughter to pitch. Half a season at 8U and now moving up to 10U. Asking about the ball size and distance. She's wondering how she's ever going to throw a 12 inch ball at 43 feet not realizing she going to grow.
Good luck soak it all in they grow up way too fast.

 

[JillMS923]

I carry a 14 inch ball in my bag. Play catch with it and do some easy underhand snaps. Its so huge to the pitcher, they laugh about it but when she starts warming up with the 12 inch no more issues over the transition. As far as the distance, I have her throw 5 to 7 more feet at the end of the lesson focusing on more leg push and drive with the 11 inch ball. That 14 inch ball can be used later for spins.

It's funny what they ask about, just started teaching the granddaughter to pitch. Half a season at 8U and now moving up to 10U. Asking about the ball size and distance. She's wondering how she's ever going to throw a 12 inch ball at 43 feet not realizing she going to grow.
Good luck soak it all in they grow up way too fast.

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?