Does 8U typically go coach pitch?

[Megobee]

Thanks again for all the info. This year is kind of an experimental year to determine what will work best to continue.
Our 8U division is 7+8 y.o. Players. Could you let me kniw your thoughts on this P.O.A.:
-we’ve already agreed to just use the tee for the first 2 weeks
- week 3+4 -coach pitch, six pitches then break out the tee. (Batter should Swing at everything)
- week 5+6- kid /coach pitch, - after 4 balls/non-strikes, coach pitch, continuing the strike count. No walks but batter can strike out..(batter must choose what to swing for)
thanks again!

 

[wahhutch9]

Way back when my daughter played 8U, it was kid pitch with one modification...no walks. After ball 4, a pitching machine was used (something like the LS Blue Flame) and the count was reset to 1 strike. It worked well at that age to keep the game moving, allow young pitchers to work on their game, and give batters something good to swing at.

Northwest Ohio area for travel ball does something similar; however, after kid pitches ball 4, the coach comes in to pitch. However many strikes were on the batter carryover to the coach pitch. This is becoming a little more widespread in Ohio and SE Michigan.

Personally, I liked a mix of this and coach pitch. We had very good kid pitchers in 8u, so it was nice for them to face batters and for our batters to face live kid pitch as they prepped for 10u. Having said that, our defense didn’t get a ton of work in when we played modified kid pitch (since we had good pitchers.) To help, we tried to mix in some events that were only coach pitch... that way the defense could get way more action.

 

[all_inFP]

Northwest Ohio area for travel ball does something similar; however, after kid pitches ball 4, the coach comes in to pitch. However many strikes were on the batter carryover to the coach pitch. This is becoming a little more widespread in Ohio and SE Michigan.

Personally, I liked a mix of this and coach pitch. We had very good kid pitchers in 8u, so it was nice for them to face batters and for our batters to face live kid pitch as they prepped for 10u. Having said that, our defense didn’t get a ton of work in when we played modified kid pitch (since we had good pitchers.) To help, we tried to mix in some events that were only coach pitch... that way the defense could get way more action.

Seeing a lot more of this in central Ohio too. Although the World Series at Berliner last year, they only gave the girls 4 pitches total. Our rec league however still uses a pitching machine at 8U. The only good thing about that is each kid is getting the same ball.