Baseball Dad 46,quote:
“How often should a high school pitcher practice pitching and for how long”
This all depends on his Biological age, not his chronological age. If he is biologically 19 he should train all year and compete all year, this is when all of his growth plates in his elbow and shoulders areas have finally closed. Your child could be biologically 19 and chronological 17 years old When you start training you train every day, when you start competition you still train every day but at half the time and resistance.
If he is biological aged 16 to 18 the elbows have solidified and more vigorous specific training and motor skill activity can be. He should take off Aug, Sept. Then in October start a Sport specific interval-training program timed to peak in March no breaks. If your child is chronologically 15 and biologically 14 you hold off on the longer inning competitions and training.
quote:
“ In my case 15yo. freshman also told will play a lot of 3rd base.”
Throwing from third base will make him a better pitcher because he we be practicing a more upright rotational throw where he will learn to line up.
At this biological age 13 to 15, half of your elbow growth plates are still only open and subject to damage with ballistic overstress and at any time. Evulsions at this age are many (tendon off bone).It is important for you hear at this age to get the biological age right. The only way you can actually know is to get x-rays of both his elbows and let you radiologist tell you if they are still open. It is most important to get elbow X-rays at his sixteenth birthday and it must be both sides. Glove and ball. The training for this group is the same as the 16,17, 18 group except lesser resistance and lesser competition.
Biologically aged 10 thru 12 should be training lightly 60 days before competition and only for 3 months of the year. They should be allowed to go thru the first nine batters no matter how well or bad then be relieved. Once a week.
Biologically aged 8,9 year olds should train lightly 60 days before competition and compete no more than 6 batters a week, with this approach all youth would have to participate and spread the destructive load of maximal ballistic competition
quote:
“ has no time outside of practice”
I only hear this excuse from baseball people never from Olympians of the same age.
quote:
“in all honors classes”
This is where you have an advantage, show him the science of human motor movement and exercise physiology and he will learn the way it is done by serious elite athletes.
quote:
“He has practiced all winter with summer team”
He plays one sport? This means the training schedule is easy.
quote:
“saw pitching coach 2X wkly”
Is he now capable of videoing and training himself from using this service?