Additional considerations with the pitching experience
Your son, being nine (9), will undergo a cycle of changes –physical, mental, temperament, attention spans, and so on while growing up. Add or inject athletic skill training and your going to witness a rollercoaster of peaks and valleys of performance – some good … some not so good.
Just remember that youth has tolerances and limits. Unlike your son’s counterpart in the collegiate or professional game, he’s going to be on a learning curve. And that learning curve is unique for each and every kid. So, depending on your son’s physique – tall and slim, husky and compact, average build and weight proportions all enter the mix to generate movement and progression … testing the advice that you receive here. So, slow and easy does it for a nine (9) year old .
Also, don’t expect game level performance after a week of … “now try this.” I know most dads say with a resounding voice. “.OF COURSE I WON’T! “ But it happens, as a knee jerk reaction along with the words muttered to one’s self… “darn it,… we just went over this stuff yesterday !” Also, when your son gets into a jam out there pitching, it’s not unusual for a kid to revert right back into an “ole style” …. and that’s only natural. A kid will fall back on what he knows his body fells comfortable with … regardless if it’s right or wrong.
When your son is on a team… however, he’s receiving coaching advice here or elsewhere, that advice may support or even conflict with the advice he’s receiving on the field. Be very careful of the impressions that will be left with your son in this regard. His coach(s) will expect him to “do as he’s told”, and if he’s doing a complete 180 these coaches can form opinions of your son that may cause problems with his playing experience. With respect to the impressions that I mentioned earlier, this can be a confusing time for a kid of nine (9).
Also, of all the things that can support or destroy good performance reinforcement, are the surface conditions that your son will be performing on. If your son is performing (standing) and a surface with little or no stability – integrality, he’s going to have problems from the get-go. Be sensitive to this issue … it’s not as apparent as one might think.
At the top of this web site there is a topic bar. Select PITCHING ARTICLES and then scroll down to the subject of pitch counts. It’s worth reading believe me. And you’ll start … right off the bat … being proactive for your son’s health and well being, and teaching him early to be said same.
Best wishes for son’s playing experience.
Coach B.