43 feet at 14U?

[CheckWriter]

Besides, if you move 14s back to 43', then the 12s can play up and pitch from 43' also. That way the 8th graders can communicate with the college coaches completely unencumbered by all those pesky NCAA rules. Then they can go on their unofficials and verbal before high school even starts for them!

Evolving just like the boys' sports.

Now, if we can just get Lane Kiffin to start coaching softball.

I agree with letting the 14U studettes just play up in 16s.

JMO

[ontheblack]

Besides, if you move 14s back to 43', then the 12s can play up and pitch from 43' also. That way the 8th graders can communicate with the college coaches completely unencumbered by all those pesky NCAA rules. Then they can go on their unofficials and verbal before high school even starts for them!

Thats the best reason in favor that I have heard.

Jasmine, its not about what they are capable of, its about whats best for them. It doesn't matter if the game is changing. What is best for the girls should be the overriding factor. Instead of making stupid comments about going back to rec ball, please offer something substantive to support your argument that moving to 43' at 14U is better for the girls and the game.

Bailing on pitching development at 14 is foolish. Most of the 12U pitchers out there are just starting to get command of a handful of pitches. That isn't going to get better by moving it back. If we do it your way and pull the plug on those still developing mechanically sound pitching skills, the dearth of pitchers you will have at 14s will pretty bad. The last thing 14s needs is to rely on fewer pitchers throwing more innings, which is what will happen.

[superD3]

I can give a big Amen to capable 14's having to throw more innings because they are effective, to the point I had to say something to the coach.

[Sam]

In response to OnTheBlack; First of all, I realize that 1st year 14's are not playing high school yet, that is why I said get prepared for what is to come. With regard to your second comment that most 2nd year 14's will play frosh or JayVee, what does that have anything to do with it? Whether they are playing Frosh or JayVee, they will still be at 43'! If they continue softball, they are going to be forever at 43'! Take that first year at 14 to develop from the new distance so that when they start to play when it really matters (2nd year 14 and 16) they are not struggling. If they can't handle it, time to either switch to 2nd base and when they get cut there try out for song girl. From my view, this game is changing and the girls are getting more and more athletic. Those coaches and organizations that are running "Mattel Factories" (code for promoting Barbie Ball) are not doing themselves or the girls any favors, especially when you hit 14's. That is why God invented rec.......

You don't have a single clue about what your talking...Frosh/JV/Varsity are a total of about 30 games....15 each if you have two pitchers....never more than a game per day normally. 14U is typically 90+ games per year and sometimes there are idiots out there coaching that will throw a kid three times on a Sunday.

My experience, as I stated before, is that lots of college pitchers are in pain on every pitch they throw becaused they were abused at earlier ages by people who have the attitude you espouse.

Boys don't throw more than 7 innings in a day and rarely throw more than one game per week. If you wouldn't do this to your son, why would you do it to your daughter?

[ca native]

Thats what's nice about baseball they have rules, so they don't kill the pitchers.

With all these changes maybe fastpitch should listen to the doctors and limit the number of inning a girl pitches on a weekend. Would develop more pitchers and would make the coaches actually think!!!

[3'sDad]

DD's 14U travel team will carry 4 pitchers - Coach carried 4 pitchers last season at 12U so no one was overworked. She is very focused on not overworking anyone or developing sore arms. The girls all ice on Saturday and Sunday nights after the day is done and after pitching practice during the week.

Most of the pitcher's dad's on DD's team read either this or another softball site and take strong notice of what parents such as Sam have lived through and shared.

[tnt55]

At recent tryouts this was a huge topic of conversation, particularly from pitchers parents. As a parent with a DD who pitches I really am not all to concerned. While my DD attends a small private school, the HS coach has continued to allow her to workout with HS team and throw BP since she was in 6th grade. She knows that there is a 99.9% chance she'll be the starting (only) pitcher as a freshman. Now as an 8th grader, she'll play 14u but practice with pitching coach from 43.
I think that if 43 is going to become such a sticking point, then the age up should occur in September and / or adopt a baseball mentality of age brackets. ( 13u, 15u). This way we are not having our 13u travel ball / 8th grader throwing from 43 until they are true 14u & freshman in HS.
Why isn't there so much concern for the 10u @ 35 ft, having to move back to 40 with an additional change of a larger ball?is it that they are not physically mature and can't crush the ball? Well, take a look at some of the 12u players at Nationals. They looked like they drove themselves to game.

[soreshins]

The transition at 12U from 35 to 40 is a much bigger transition. Moving back 3 feet is not a big deal in high school or 14U. If a pitcher has good mechanics the distance alone is not going to cause physical problems. If a pitcher has poor mechanics they are prone to injury regardless of the distance. They may not be as effective, but distance alone is not going to cause injury.

If you throw 55 at 40 feet you will still throw 55 at 43 feet. The ball will still get there. There is no need to "muscle up" and try to throw harder. A small release point adjustment will do the trick. Early on they will miss high and low until the make the adjustment. At 43 feet the ball has more distance to break which is often an advantage.

At 12U some kids can throw effectively from 43 feet and some can't. You have to use your head. If your pitcher is not ready, don't play up. Personally I would avoid going back and forth between distances. But that is a control issue not an injury issue.

[soupy62]

The transition at 12U from 35 to 40 is a much bigger transition. Moving back 3 feet is not a big deal in high school or 14U. If a pitcher has good mechanics the distance alone is not going to cause physical problems. If a pitcher has poor mechanics they are prone to injury regardless of the distance. They may not be as effective, but distance alone is not going to cause injury.

If you throw 55 at 40 feet you will still throw 55 at 43 feet. The ball will still get there. There is no need to "muscle up" and try to throw harder. A small release point adjustment will do the trick. Early on they will miss high and low until the make the adjustment. At 43 feet the ball has more distance to break which is often an advantage.

At 12U some kids can throw effectively from 43 feet and some can't. You have to use your head. If your pitcher is not ready, don't play up. Personally I would avoid going back and forth between distances. But that is a control issue not an injury issue.

my biggest concern is what getting blasted by hitters will do to a developing pitcher mentally? And when they get rattleled mentally do they make physical changes that lead to issues whether they lead to injury or just jacked up form. Im sure every pitcher that makes a change in distance has some issues maybe not many but some. And maybe its better for those first year 14s they will have a year and a half to get over those issues before starting high school ball. My guess is even if ASA dont do it this coming season it isnt far off. Its obvious that whatever desision ASA makes will come with resistance on both sides.

[Sam]

The transition at 12U from 35 to 40 is a much bigger transition. Moving back 3 feet is not a big deal in high school or 14U. If a pitcher has good mechanics the distance alone is not going to cause physical problems. If a pitcher has poor mechanics they are prone to injury regardless of the distance. They may not be as effective, but distance alone is not going to cause injury.

If you throw 55 at 40 feet you will still throw 55 at 43 feet. The ball will still get there. There is no need to "muscle up" and try to throw harder. A small release point adjustment will do the trick. Early on they will miss high and low until the make the adjustment. At 43 feet the ball has more distance to break which is often an advantage.

At 12U some kids can throw effectively from 43 feet and some can't. You have to use your head. If your pitcher is not ready, don't play up. Personally I would avoid going back and forth between distances. But that is a control issue not an injury issue.

If your 14U pitcher is ready to throw at 43 feet, she can move up. Why have the entire division put their arms at risk? Some kids will have trouble throwing consistently at 43'....so under your scenario, they don't pitch at 14U. That = less pitchers....which = more innings for pitchers who have to throw the innings....which = injuries.

What you may not realize is the wear and tear these arms endure over the years. The move to 43 feet is the most traumatic. Pitchers are forced to move the ball more because you can't blow anybody away with speed any more. The way they get more movement is to produce more violent snapping motions on their wrists, elbows, shoulders, and hips. The quick violent movements cause increased wear and tear.

Your point might be more valid if we treated our daughters like we do our sons. We are much more willing to abuse our daughters than we are our sons.