3/17/2023 0 Comments Underhand throw in softball![]() ![]() Otherwise, girls typically will be able to add 1 – 2 MPH per year naturally when built on top of a sound mechanical foundation. The speed is there, but they’re just not using it. I’ve had pitchers jump from low-50s to high-50 MPH at age 14, 15, & 16 years old just by tweaking mechanics, or utilizing them better anyway. Since generally arm speed can only generate that much speed at its maximum usually girls are not utilizing their legs enough in this situation. Arm speed helps, but on the other hand, I’ve also seen girls that are 16 years old top out at 50 MPH and have been throwing that fast for 2 – 3 years, but they can’t seem to get any more speed. Most noticeable pitching speed increases come when girls start to use their legs, but I’ve also seen opportunity areas in girls ‘slamming the door’ closed harder, and/or developing a better wrist snap or ‘wet noodle’ arm whip. In other words, if she is 3 MPH below the averages in the chart, but then tweaked her mechanics to make them more sound and efficient would she quickly gain that 3 MPH on her fastball? In most cases, the answer is yes. They are just a guide to use mostly to see if your daughter, at her specific age, is leaving any speed ‘on the table’. Keep in mind that the averages I’ve listed are not concrete, they’re not set in stone. I do also base somewhat whether or not to teach a girl a new pitch on if she’s at these base-level speeds, for example, I won’t teach a change-up until a girl is throwing at least 40 MPH, and I won’t help a female athlete develop a riseball until she’s throwing in the mid-50s (because based on physics and the throwing distance of 43 feet that’s the optimal combination to make a tight late-break, spiny riseball hop 2 – 4 inches, which is practically unhittable! From my experience giving pitching lessons to girls from 8 – 23 years old, if your mechanics are efficient and correct, you will ultimately fall into the range of pitching speed averages listed below. Therefore I have created the chart on this page (below) to be a helpful guide or an indicator of solid, safe mechanics mostly. Coaches, parents, even pitchers ask am I pitching fast enough, or what is the average softball pitching speed for my age, or am I in the ideal pitching speed range for my age… am I throwing hard enough?įor me, someone who promotes spin before speed it may surprise you that I’d even have this content on my website, but one caveat of the ‘pitching speed question’ is that there is a minimum speed limit that will happen by age when mechanics are sound, when mechanics are being performed optimally. ![]()
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