Any Benefit of a Young 10U Pitcher Training with a 12 inch ball?

[ndame88]

In between my older DD games this summer my 10U DD would want to work on pitching drills, but would forget her 11 inch balls, so we worked with 12 inch balls, had many slip out of her hand at 5 oclock position, but eventually started throwing better with them. Just made me wonder if there is any positive or negatives?

 

[sjross96]

I've done the same and i think there are some small benefits as you are basically training with a slightly heavier ball. The main detriment would be that it can throw off the timing of her release, so i wouldn't recommend it right before a game.

 

[SoGASoftball]

Our oldest DD had a 12-inch ball in the bucket during her last year of 10u, and she threw it once in awhile during practice. It made the jump no big deal, but I can't say there was any other benefit.

 

[RetiredCoach]

When my DD was 9, her rec league used 12" balls. When she went to travel with 11" balls there did not seem to be any transitional difficulties. However, when she moved to 12U with the 12" ball again, she had to readjust her CU, etc. In short, go ahead and use the 12" ball.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Yes. And when they move to a 12 inch ball, I move them to a 14 and 16 inch. (Not every practice, and not for many pitches, but it is fun.)

 

[JAD]

When my DD was about to make the transition to 12U we started working with a 12" ball from 40'. We had one 10U tournaments left and when my DD went back to an 11" ball from 35' she was unhittable...I think she picked up 3-4 MPH on her fastball just from working for a month with the bigger, heavier ball. Made we wish we had been practicing with it a lot sooner!

 

[GoCaboNow]

When 9 year old DD first started with her PC, all she had was 12" balls. Was a little awkward at first but now it is just part of our practice, even away from her PC. We always start of with 12's for 30-50 pitches and then switching to the 11" feels like a toy. It does mess with her release point for a little bit so we don't use them on game day - just to be safe.

 

[ndame88]

Thank you all for the replies

 

[Rick Pauly]

I would throw out these words of caution; If it doesn't cause her to alter her grip (small fingers---bigger ball) then great. If it doesn't cause her to alter her mechanics then great. If you feel like the added forces to joints (elbow/shoulder) in younger undeveloped kids isn't an issue then great.

I have a personal heart ache with rushing kids into things that they may not be ready for. A prime example is when a pitcher graduates from 10U softball up to 12U softball. At the same time they go from the 11 inch ball up to the 12 inch ball and move from 35 ft. back to 40 ft. mound distance......what a double whammy. Maybe one of these at a time is ok, but both together is frought with creating poor mechanics to get the larger/heavier ball an added 5 ft.

I can not over emphasize how important it is to get mechanics correct at a young age and keep them correct.......it just gets harder and harder to change as they get older (see more repetitions of creating and strengthening circuits that are not ideal)

Have kids successfully made that transition......yes, but many have ruined a potentially successful career.

 

[RetiredCoach]

I would throw out these words of caution; If it doesn't cause her to alter her grip (small fingers---bigger ball) then great. If it doesn't cause her to alter her mechanics then great. If you feel like the added forces to joints (elbow/shoulder) in younger undeveloped kids isn't an issue then great.

I have a personal heart ache with rushing kids into things that they may not be ready for. A prime example is when a pitcher graduates from 10U softball up to 12U softball. At the same time they go from the 11 inch ball up to the 12 inch ball and move from 35 ft. back to 40 ft. mound distance......what a double whammy. Maybe one of these at a time is ok, but both together is frought with creating poor mechanics to get the larger/heavier ball an added 5 ft.

I can not over emphasize how important it is to get mechanics correct at a young age and keep them correct.......it just gets harder and harder to change as they get older (see more repetitions of creating and strengthening circuits that are not ideal)

Have kids successfully made that transition......yes, but many have ruined a potentially successful career.

I just noticed something. Rick Pauly has eight softballs and so do I!!! I must be good!!!

(Nice to hear from you Rick. These softballs have been all the rage since you've been "gone")