400 PITCHING AND YOUTH BASEBALL

Pitching at any level requires the ability physically and mentally  to master the skills needed.

Who, should learn to pitch and when?
When players reach the age of ten or eleven, serious evaluation to the physical and mental maturity of the athletes should be given, before they try pitching. The structure of the human body makes adapting to the mechanics of pitching difficult. There are no guidelines to follow about who is physically and mentally mature to pitch.
      However, players who are under developed physically or tall with a thin build should not pitch, till they develop more physically. "They" more than others could  develop serious arm problems. Mainly, they will have to use an unorthodox delivery to achieve desired results. This  will hinder them from developing good pitching mechanics.  Without good pitching mechanics young athletes could hinder the natural growth patterns of the bones and muscle tissue by taxing the joints of the arm, elbow and shoulder before they are developed enough to handle the stress.

WHO. MAKES A GOOD YOUTH PITCHER?
1. A player with the right attitude - A Team Player.
2. A player who will do the extra practice involved to require the skills
     needed
3. A physically mature player, able to handle the stress of pitching.
4. "A gamer," one who wants the ball when the game is on the line.


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