Why is it important to know how fast your DD pitches?

[absdad]

I can only speak to what I personally have seen with my own eyes. Having never seen a 70 mph pitch in person, doesn't mean they aren't out there. Living in Fla, I have seen some very elite level teams play. GCH, TNF, Fla Gold, Tampa Mustangs, Gainsville Gold. All teams that have represented the state very well nationally. All teams that have signed big time D1 pitchers. Every one of these teams has pitchers capable of throwing in the 60's. What makes them strong is the movement I see on the different pitches. That said, there are plenty of college teams that would kill for a pitcher who can throw high 50's with pitches that break. Just like I am sure a girl throwing 70 could pick her college assuming she had any GPA around 3.0

Your post also made me think of a point... just because a girl CAN throw mid 70's, doesn't mean every pitch across the plate is going to be a 74mph FB over the middle of the plate; that's going to garner 37 minutes of commentary from Michelle Smith. I'm pretty sure, damn near certain, that these girls are intentionally throwing a variety of pitches; locations, speeds, etc. It's about disrupting the batter's timing. You're not going to do that throwing the same 70mph FB in the same spot. You might sneak that cannon FB in after a rise and a few CU's to get the call. And if they're really good, they won't even have to use it.

 

[Mrek]

Well first, thank you for completely misunderstanding what I was saying. No need to put words into my mouth, when you could have just looked up 'average' in the dictionary.

There are indeed several girls who were snatched right up by the elite softball programs. By the time the rest of the softball college coaches heard of these girls, the deals were done. These are the elite ones, the 1 in 100,000 softball pitchers. There are more than one, more than two, etc... The internet is a good tool, given some effort you can read about them.

As for the "average" girls, let me try and simplify this for you... they are the most common that we see starting in softball. Girls that are pitching for big D1's, some even bringing their teams to OKC in post season. There is nothing average about their performance, however their pitching speeds are indeed in the middle of the spectrum of softball pitchers. the 1 in 1,000 softball pitchers. The middle group, I called the average. Sorry.. the run of the mill average pitcher that you're going to see. Not the elite ones, and not the 3rd string bullpen queen. I hope that makes sense..

The third group, my opinion mind you, are the ones who may play college ball, but it most likely won't be on scholarship, and they're not going to be a starter. These are the most common, though not the ones you're really going to see at games. May have a good pitch, but just not starter material. Lower end of speed and pitches. Not the average, because you're not going to see much of them.

I apologize if I misinterpreted your context for the term "average".
Based upon some of the other posts, I don't think I'm alone in that misinterpretation or of how common 70+ speeds are on HS recruits.

So if the listed 55+ NFCA speeds are "average" for college level pitching across all divisions, then I would tend to agree with that context. It would lead me to say that those pitchers who do go to the camps, if they display command, another good spin pitch or two, and good grades, can still aspire to pitch at the college level and maybe get a college level education to boot.

Thanks for the clarification and the advice…

I'm definitely going to sharpen my Internet skills and find those recruits throwing in the mid 70's.

 

[CoachKirk]

Recently, there appears to be one girl out there who was recruited in a private workout that posted 74 on a single gun, outdoors. Was the 74 actually 74 when compared to other pitchers speed? I don't know.

It sounds like you still don't believe that Chelsea Thomas (Missouri) throws over 70 mph. Doug Gillis is the pitching coach at Missouri. He has been conducting clinics / lesson at Mizzou for the past 2 years. Chelsea is always present at these. I have been taking my daughter to these lessons. I have witnessed Chelsea's 72mph+ 'speed' with a gun several times - with a top speed of 75mph. Also, senior Mizzou catcher Megan Christopher trains my 16U (Missouri Warcats) catchers in the off season. Megan has told me that Chelsea is the hardest throwing pitcher in the Big 12 and probably the country. She says that her hand still hurts - months after the season had ended. I believe there is a YouTube video posted of Chelsea and Megan striking out a local (Columbia, MO) sportscaster so you can see it for yourself. BTW, you will probably see Thomas and Christopher in the CWS this year....

 

[absdad]

I apologize if I misinterpreted your context for the term "average".
Based upon some of the other posts, I don't think I'm alone in that misinterpretation or of how common 70+ speeds are on HS recruits.

So if the listed 55+ NFCA speeds are "average" for college level pitching across all divisions, then I would tend to agree with that context. It would lead me to say that those pitchers who do go to the camps, if they display command, another good spin pitch or two, and good grades, can still aspire to pitch at the college level and maybe get a college level education to boot.

Thanks for the clarification and the advice…

I'm definitely going to sharpen my Internet skills and find those recruits throwing in the mid 70's.

Average probably isn't the best adjective to use to describe them.. I didn't mean average, as in talent. I simply meant, when you turn on the tube and catch a typical big D1 school, these are the typical pitchers you're going to see. Being a pitcher is rough, I don't know the numbers, but the odds of getting on a team, let alone pitching in a game have to be astronomical. I'd only be guessing, maybe 1 in a 1,000 who try get to actually do it. Someone else posted a comment (forgot who), that almost all college teams have several "former pitchers". I'm sure those girls were very good on their travel teams, and in HS ball, and probably enjoyed a fair amount of success at one time.

 

[Mrek]

It sounds like you still don't believe that Chelsea Thomas (Missouri) throws over 70 mph. Doug Gillis is the pitching coach at Missouri. He has been conducting clinics / lesson at Mizzou for the past 2 years. Chelsea is always present at these. I have been taking my daughter to these lessons. I have witnessed Chelsea's 72mph+ 'speed' with a gun several times - with a top speed of 75mph. Also, senior Mizzou catcher Megan Christopher trains my 16U (Missouri Warcats) catchers in the off season. Megan has told me that Chelsea is the hardest throwing pitcher in the Big 12 and probably the country. She says that her hand still hurts - months after the season had ended. I believe there is a YouTube video posted of Chelsea and Megan striking out a local (Columbia, MO) sportscaster so you can see it for yourself. BTW, you will probably see Thomas and Christopher in the CWS this year....

No, I don't doubt that she throws that hard.
And I beleve that she was throwing 70+, even 72+ as a recruit.
A point of the thread was the commonality of that feat.
My point in the post was not to disparage the girl.
Regardless if the number on the gun was 73 or 74, I stated that she was, in all likelihood, the fastest recruit in the country and the world at that moment (and apparently Megan Christopher agrees with me even now).

One point of thread was to discuss how special that ability is. There were some views that the number of HS recruits throwing 70+ and up to 75 is higher than some speculation (I speculate around 10 or so, recruits not D1 or NFP pitchers). There were clearly implications in the thread that there are recruits out there throwing 75MPH. Recruits, plural. And one of my points is that I am not aware of nor could find evidence on the Internet of HS recruits throwing 75.

 

[NVfishing]

Someone I know just went to a college recruiting camp. She was one of 3 girls to throw over 60 for the scouts out of 30+ pitchers. I know other pitchers that are about the same level. They've also learned to play other positions so they can make a college roster. In some cases they will be playing as a fielder that can pitch instead of a pitcher that can field. Most girls that throw in the upper 50's to low 60's may find playing time with a Juco but I doubt they will be starting for a premier program. I'm rooting for my DD to keep improving to the point she can make a college roster but I know that there is a small reality for those dreams to come true for any pitcher. My DD works her butt off to make her dreams come true and I root for her every day.
Increasing Fastpitch Softball Pitching Speed

10U - Avg. Speed 38-42 - Top Speed 48-53 Low to mid 50's is very rare.
12U - Avg. Speed 44-50 - Top Speed 53-59 Upper 50's is extremely rare but we have seen as high as 61 mph from a 13 year who was still eligible to play 12U
14U - Avg. Speed 49-54 Top Speed 56-61
16U - Avg. Speed 53-57 Top Speed 60-68 Again high 60's is very rare but there are a few capable
18U - See 16U

 

[SoCalASABlue]

Someone I know just went to a college recruiting camp. She was one of 3 girls to throw over 60 for the scouts out of 30+ pitchers. I know other pitchers that are about the same level. They've also learned to play other positions so they can make a college roster. In some cases they will be playing as a fielder that can pitch instead of a pitcher that can field. Most girls that throw in the upper 50's to low 60's may find playing time with a Juco but I doubt they will be starting for a premier program. I'm rooting for my DD to keep improving to the point she can make a college roster but I know that there is a small reality for those dreams to come true for any pitcher. My DD works her butt off to make her dreams come true and I root for her every day.
Increasing Fastpitch Softball Pitching Speed

So I guess Ivy Renfroe at Tennessee would fit your template? Last time I checked she was #1 for UT, certainly a premier program where I believe she was 31-4 pitching in the SEC...and I don't recall seeing her go above low 60s all year last year.

 

[NVfishing]

I don't know how fast Ivy pitches? That's one thing that isn't well publicized in fastpitch. How fast do these young ladies throw? It's why it's always being debated. I just know that the young girls that are throwing with lots of movement and low 60's here are being looked at as Juco players and smaller D1 programs.

 

[absdad]

So I guess Ivy Renfroe at Tennessee would fit your template? Last time I checked she was #1 for UT, certainly a premier program where I believe she was 31-4 pitching in the SEC...and I don't recall seeing her go above low 60s all year last year.

The fact that she's not consistently throwing her max speed in games doesn't mean that she isn't capable of throwing mid 60's. I don't know of many college teams where every pitch called is a cannon FB.

 

[SoftSocDad]

I thought this thread was supposed to be about the fathers of 9yo's bragging about their daughters' 51mph fastballs.

What happened here??