Reader Question: How Much Should a 10u Athlete Pitch?
Hey Carly! I’ve got twins at the 10u level that both pitch, but in games both of them tend to not reach their optimum speeds/groove until the second inning, and this is after I have given them a complete warm up. As a result I have had them pitch a tad more than most (30 pitches) after warm-up and before the first pitch. We usually throw 100+ pitches in practice sessions so I feel like I have built or I am building their stamina.
We typically practice a couple times a week mixed in with a lesson, so they pitch 3 times a week (If everything falls into place). Does sound right to you? Any tips on how to keep them better prepared without pitching so much before games?
—CC
That’s a great question CC!
I’m going to break down your question bit by bit and give a few answers.
About not reaching optimum speed until the second inning…
Every pitcher needs a different amount of time to warm up and a different type of warmup. I’ve worked with pitchers at the high school and college level who have come out stronger in the first few innings because they feel good when they’re a little tighter. I’ve also had pitchers who need to run extensive simulated innings after their warmup in order to avoid giving up runs in the first inning. I usually encourage those pitchers to listen to their own bodies and do what THEY need to do.
HOWEVER, the 10u level is a little different, because a pitcher that age likely doesn’t KNOW what her body needs yet. That’s OK. Has the extra 30 pitches you mentioned been helping? If so, I don’t think it’s a bad course of action; you’ve proved that your girls need a little more warmup time in order to feel comfortable. If it HASN’T been helping much, I think you need to be open to the possibility that it might be a confidence issue. I wouldn’t even mention it to the girls, because you don’t need to get inside their heads. They might not even consciously realize that’s what’s happening. Their confidence is up in the second inning because, for good or bad, they’ve already experienced the first. As time passes, the confidence they gain from more and more first innings piling up will likely help them to come out stronger.
Maybe for the last part of their warmup, whether you’re using the extra 30 pitches or not, ask another coach or a teammate to stand in as a batter. The mental adjustment of going from free throwing to seeing a batter may be a big contributor.
About building stamina in practice…
Building stamina is very important, but 10u is a VERY sensitive developmental age, and it’s important to build stamina the right way. Pitching a lot is not the answer at this stage; while it does build stamina on one hand, it breaks it down on the other hand because it’s an imbalanced activity. Helping your girls develop with strong, balanced bodies, independently of the results of their pitching, will make them stronger pitchers when they reach 12, 14, and 16u. More importantly, it will make them healthier people for their entire lives. I can personally attest to the annoying ailments you may suffer as a 20-something after going through your adolescent softball career without properly balancing your activities.
If you’re interested in the research behind this (and I strongly feel that EVERY parent of an athlete should be), check out the Long Term Athlete Development Model pioneered by Titleist. This is a great, easy to digest video presentation on the subject. I’ll post my own take on it in more detail next week, but for now, the gist is athletes who are developed in a well rounded way at a young age perform better in their specific sport at an older age.
Basically, even if your daughters are somehow 100% sure that softball is their favorite sport and that they want to be NCAA pitchers, pitching a lot at 10u is not the best path to that goal. Pitching a little, and balancing it with other sports and physical activities, is a better choice. Check out any of Joe’s posts for workout inspiration if they don’t play other sports.
To be more specific, in-season 3 days a week of pitching (this includes games and lessons) is fine coupled with some other light activity that uses other body parts. Off-season, 1 day a week of pitching practice, or maybe 1 day of full pitching and 1 of just smaller drills to work on specific things, is more than enough. You should focus more on strengthening and balancing during this time.
You may not see the results right away, but this kind of balance will help their stamina shoot up tremendously and help them avoid injury over the next couple of years!