10U Tryout format question

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Sorry for all these 10U questions lol, but when my oldest started when I took her to her first tryout she was in way over her head, I did a horrible job of preparing her for tryouts. It was the most proud of her I had ever been, but I felt bad.

Don't want to make that mistake again.

Anyhow, I've been talking with a few people and they said during the hitting session of tryouts the coach pitched the ball, another told me another organization used a pitching machine that was throwing way to hard for that age bracket and none of the kids could hit it.

What is common at that age level?

Anything else you guys think I should be aware of?

I also wanted to thank you all for walking me through this again. This board is the best!

 

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WE have always used the pitching machine, we usually put it at 45mph and have everyone hit, if time permits we go through again usually at a faster speed, as for the rest of the tryout we do the samething for the 10's that we would for 18's. Beaware of? well the one thing I look for is a smile, just tell her to go out and do what she does and have fun, the less nervous she is the better her tryout will be. Hope this helps and Good luck!!

 

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We also use the machine in the 40-45 mph range then we will mix in one of our pitchers just to see if the kids can find the ball during live pitching. The biggest mistake I see these young ladies make at one of our tryouts is becoming to much at ease. Remember you are always being evaluated. From the time you get there and start warming up your arm to when one of the coaches asks players to shag balls while someone else hits. Always field the ball right and make sharp throws. Ive seen young ladies get passed up that were pretty solid ball players because when they thought the spotlight wasnt on them (shagging when someone else hits) they got lazy. Just my 02

 

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We used pitching machines at about 45 mph. Don't forget to go over bunts too. I know I don't look for kids who are stars, but kids that have talent and potential. Do they hustle, do they mesh well with the other girls, do they listen to instruction and apply what you tell them, when they mess up do they shake it off or pout, are their fundamentals strong or are they riddled with bad habits? I guess what I'm saying is I don't look too much at how far they hit as much as if they swing right. I don't look at how many grounders they miss or catch, but if they are getting in front of the ball and keeping their head down. For me it is not whether or not you are a star, but whether or not you are coachable and I can teach you the game.

 

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Uber_Jones, Your comment reminds me of the tryout I took my daughter to her first year of 12U. This was 7 years ago. We went to a well known state wide team's tryout, they must have had 40 girls there for 2 or 3 spots and had the pitching machine cranked to 60. I watched all the girls go through the hitting and a handful managed to foul off a pitch or two. I thought it bordered on ridiculous, as Klump mentioned above, as a coach you are looking for how well they swing. Tryouts should be setup so the players can show their abilities not beat them down.

 

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I have used both a machine and live pitching but like live pitching best. I like to have a girl who is moving up to the next age group throw. 2 years ago we used the machine and girls were smashing the ball. When we got to games they couldn't adjust to the different planes the ball came in on. And oh yeah like klump said don't forget the bunting!!!

 

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Thanks for the comments guys, she is a slap hitter in progress so we do work quite a bit on bunting. She is only 8, will be 9 in feb. Its very hard for me to gauge were she is at lol, the only other kid I work with is 17. I dont want to rush things, or go to slow. Its a little more difficult then I had thought it would be :lmao:

I guess we will find out were she stands in little over a week

 

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I'm sure she will be fine bro. Any kid with a nickname like Maddog has to be a gamer!!

 

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for time management we have always used the machine. I would love to incorporate live pitching. When trying to get a group of 20+ through in an a couple hours live pitching is still slower than a machine.