43 feet at 14U?

[soupy62]

Does anyone have any guess as to what ASA is going to do with the pitching distance at 14U this next season? USSSA has aready made the change for next season, 13U and up will be at 43'. I think the meeting for ASA is in novemebr but wanted to get some thoughts as to what they may do.

[mercateer]

our local asa tournaments are already at 43feet for 14u
this does not include qualifiers yet

[mercateer]

this is in south carolina, nsa usssa have moved to 43 for 14u
ISA is still at 40

[soupy62]

Im in IL. the reason i ask is i am wanting to move my 12U team up and play some 14U tourneys but 2 of my pitchers are only going into 6th grade. We have some lofty goals for the year next season but im not sure that throwing the off speed stuff at 43 feet wont screw them up when we go back to 12U stuff. And to be honest i would say only 1 of the 2 throws hard enough to be effective at 43 feet at all. The other is 80 pounds soaking wet and protects her 43MPH fast ball well with a great change but at 43 feet in not sure her change would be as effective. I want them to get challanged but not destroyed LOL. I would think this would be a concern for some teams out there.

[Sam]

Great news! Let's start destroying their arms even sooner!

[Sftbll4ever]

Great news! Let's start destroying their arms even sooner!

Exactly what I was thinking!!!

[Get-n-dirty]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't they still be using the same form? Wouldn't they still be throwing the same speed no matter if it is at 40' vs. 43'? The main difference that I see is it will increase run production giving more time for the batter with pitch selection and location.

At 14 and 15 years of age, aren't most of the girls developed and matured anough to cope with the distance increase. At this point in the game it primarily comes down to increasing strength and stamina correct? It only better prepares them for HS/College IMO.

[hotwheels]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't they still be using the same form? Wouldn't they still be throwing the same speed no matter if it is at 40' vs. 43'? The main difference that I see is it will increase run production giving more time for the batter with pitch selection and location.

At 14 and 15 years of age, aren't most of the girls developed and matured anough to cope with the distance increase. At this point in the game it primarily comes down to increasing strength and stamina correct? It only better prepares them for HS/College IMO.

First...Yes same form to start but then they will deviate from it because they get sick and tired of bouncing every pitch...So they will over extend themselves at a younger age and get hurt!

Increased run production??? I must be an old timer...I'll take 2 to 1 games all day over 12 to 9 games...As long as we win those games...

[twinsmom]

Agreed.

Hotwheels is correct. Many will change their form in order to just get it "over the plate" and you will start having injuries. Why do we have to be in such a hurry to get these girls throwing college distance? Just because the college coaches recruit younger and younger does that mean we have to have our 12 year olds doing what 20 y/o's are doing in college? I think this is bad thinking, but I doubt anyone looked at this type of thing when the decision was made. I understand there are some BEASTS out there pitching in 12 and 14U (as well as a few in 10's ), but I think it is better for them to move up for the competition than to try to drag the entire team to a different distance. As it stands, there are no rules as to how many pitches can be thrown in a game, day, weekend, tournament etc. and whether anyone wants to hear it or not, the ace on most teams throws the vast majority already increasing her chances at injury. Spout all you want about having two or three pitchers (and I agree that you need them), you will still have that "go to pitcher". Lets not kill them before they hit high school.

One solution might be to change the age up dates. Since the seasons technically change on September 1st (as most organizations require that their teams "age up" then), why don't we use that as a age cut off? This would get the high schoolers in one age bracket and the rest below. This would also help with the spring "destruction" of many 14U teams that straddle the 8th grade and 9th grade line in second year 14's. Plus, then you could leave the legitimate high schoolers at 43 feet and leave the younger girls alone.

Give the kids a BREAK! Enough is enough.

[hotwheels]

Agreed.

Hotwheels is correct. Many will change their form in order to just get it "over the plate" and you will start having injuries. Why do we have to be in such a hurry to get these girls throwing college distance? Just because the college coaches recruit younger and younger does that mean we have to have our 12 year olds doing what 20 y/o's are doing in college? I think this is bad thinking, but I doubt anyone looked at this type of thing when the decision was made. I understand there are some BEASTS out there pitching in 12 and 14U (as well as a few in 10's ), but I think it is better for them to move up for the competition than to try to drag the entire team to a different distance. As it stands, there are no rules as to how many pitches can be thrown in a game, day, weekend, tournament etc. and whether anyone wants to hear it or not, the ace on most teams throws the vast majority already increasing her chances at injury. Spout all you want about having two or three pitchers (and I agree that you need them), you will still have that "go to pitcher". Lets not kill them before they hit high school.

One solution might be to change the age up dates. Since the seasons technically change on September 1st (as most organizations require that their teams "age up" then), why don't we use that as a age cut off? This would get the high schoolers in one age bracket and the rest below. This would also help with the spring "destruction" of many 14U teams that straddle the 8th grade and 9th grade line in second year 14's. Plus, then you could leave the legitimate high schoolers at 43 feet and leave the younger girls alone.

Give the kids a BREAK! Enough is enough.

Great post!...I know that some of us on here have taken heat in the past for being overprotective of young pitchers but this is really crazy to move it back in 14's...Being 13 years old is OK...I'm sure everyone saw several hundred softball interviews over this past week...Did any of them or even one of them mention what they did as a 12 or 13 year old kid????? NO they didn't because they were still learning and mostly being kids...I know the die hards say "Not my kid"..."She loves it, wants to practice all the time"....BS!! JMWO