Son is 13 years old, 5’ 4" 155 lbs. & in the 8th grade.
Last year he threw in the mid to upper 60s with good control.
What would be some reasonable goals to set speed wise as he gets older. I’m wanting to set some goals which are not only attainable, but will make him work harder & challenge him.
I’m thinking of a 5 to 7 mph increase per year.
I think you are on track he should by the time he is a freshman in HS have 70-75 mph speed, not unreasonable and with muturity he should be able to do it no problem
Is it reasonable to set goals like this thru high school. I realize the amount of gain will decrease as he gets older, stronger & faster.
I have seen kids increase 5 mph/yr till they were juniors then it tailed off to 1-2 but it really is the effort they put in.
Reasonable Goals in High School
Find the MDR (minimum daily requirements) or as the measure is now I think, MDV (minimum daily value) of vitamins and minerals needed to support healthy growth. The U.S. Department of Health has a listing of these vitamins and minerals and their benefits. Track the daily intake and make notations of how the body feels, daily. Take stock of an increased attention span and a host of other actions. Most, if not all packaging contains that food’s contents in this regard.
Take plenty of stock in fresh fruits and vegetables. These products contains enzymes that allow the digestive cycle to do its thing. And enzymes can’t work without hydration – water, and plenty of it year round.
A strength and conditioning plan should be tailored to the individual life style and demeanor of athlete. A growing athlete has to be concerned about growth plates, realistic physical and mental endurance levels for each season. Off Season conditioning is like night and day when compared to Post Season conditioning. Learn the differences. Don’t discount mental conditioning. Social interaction with friends, conflicts at school, the pressures of exams and such are not good companions with a conditioning cycle that only addresses the muscles. Maturity lessons go hand in hand here. That’s what parents are for.
Take a portion of this sport and learn it. From rules to backing up a play the proper way. Take time to go over a small part every day.
4 Time Management
Set a realistic Time Management tempo that can be addressed . Start with say … breakfast. Start with a time to prepare tomorrow’s breakfast. Set a time to finish the day’s routine so a good night sleep has time to work – 7 -8 hours for most youngsters.
I could add more, but this will fill a youngster’s plate in not time. Notice I didn’t mention anything about pitching? When setting priorities for a young athlete, it’s the little things that support everything else.
Coach B.
Coach B. always seems to put things in prespective!
That he does, his knowledge is invaluable.
Seems reasonable to me.
Great post as usual Coach.
I would like to add managing time for school work to the list. I’ve seen many athletes struggle with academics as seasons approach. They get overwelmed with daily workouts and practices and the schoolwork goes by the wayside.
These guys don’t seem to believe they will be deemed ineligible, just because of grades until its too late. I personally know two of my kids teammates who are ineligible right now. Neither of which thought for a minute they could be suspended.
It all goes to time management. Time has to be put aside for homework and studying. Whether its at lunch, before school, after school, or a combination of all of the above, grades must be maintained.