Softball Pitching - How to Identify Future Pitching Stars

I am probably opening a can of worms but I'll take my chance!

Let's say I'm hired to identify the best potential pitchers out of a group of 11-12 years old with no real previous pitching experience. What would I be looking for?

Here is what I think based on my work on talent development in graduate school and my years of coaching in softball.

I want to acknowledge that I can be totally wrong and that I don`t have the absolute truth.

Talent identification is far from being an exact science  especially when so many variables comes into play.

What i would be looking for:

Physical attributes

1. Athleticism - most important thing. I would look for kids who play multiple sports and excel in them.

2. Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers - I would look for a kid that is explosive and fast since pitching requires that. I would check their long-jump ability to measure leg power.

3. Naturally throws hard overhand and likely underhand.

4. Height - Bigger leverage when throwing the ball. I would be  real careful about NOT having a bias towards the taller kids at that age because many of the smaller ones have not yet reached their puberty. I would like at who has the tallest parents!

5. Big hands, long fingers. Helps for ball movement. Again, might be hard to pick up if a kid has not yet reached puberty.

Cognitive / Emotional Attributes

1. Learning Ability. I would seek those who learn quickly. They process instructions well and have good body awareness and would be more likely to progress rapidly. For that, the best way is to teach them something and see how fast they master it.

2. Coachability and attitude. Different from the previous one  in the sense that I want a kid who is eager to learn, wants  to get better and follows instruction well.

3. Work Ethic. This is one of the most important aspect. You need close to 10 years to develop an elite pitcher and lots of practice.

4. Determination. There is going to be a lot of bumps and obstacles along the way. You need someone who will want to overcome them. Someone who has self-confidence is also an asset for pitchers.

5. Competitive Spirit. The best pitchers are very competitive people. You want them to go after batters and have the will to fight and win.

6. Enjoys softball and wants to pitch. Sounds simple but it`s crucial.

Other Factors

1. Parental Support. Most top athletes have had great support from their parents.

2. Financial Resources. Softball can be expensive with all the travel and lessons.

This is what I would look to identify who could be the next Cat Osterman, Monica Abbott, Jennie Finch, or Angela Tincher.

Who loves ya?

Train hard. Play hard.

Marc
"Your Softball Peak Performance Coach"

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