Next Pitching Question?

[Guest mchm]

Ok, this is STRICTLY just out of curiousity and because I've never heard it discussed (eventhough I'm sure it has been), but as pitchers are developing through the different age groups, what are the average fastball speeds for a pitcher at 12U, 14U, 18U, High School, etc?  What is considered slow, average and fast for these age groups?  I know that the older the girls get they get to the point where junk pitches are thrown more and more, but I'm really curious as to if they were to get on the mound and put a fast ball up the middle, how fast is it? 

[JohnnyT60]

Kristen Schmidt probably averaged around 55-57 MPH the year she won the MVP of the WCWS for LSU. She is probably the only player to win that award on a losing team. While I don't remember Cody's speeds, she was once clocked at 63 in 12U and her Sr. Year she was clocked at 68 against Brenham. I read an interview once by Ragan Blake in which she said that you had to throw 61 to get the true hop on the riseball. With that being said, movement is what it is all about, and I am sure the avg speeds of successful pitchers are all over the board. Cat would be another example of a pitcher who didn't throw too hard but was pretty successful. 

[td]

In softball just as in baseball keeping the hitter off balance is just as important if not more important than how hard you throw. Of course we all want to see the fastball. I don't think Greg Maddox ever busted 90 but he kept the hitters out in front and off balance and he has had a pretty good career  . His change up makes his 87 MPH fastball look like 95. But this is just my opinion.