When does it click?

I might not be an instructor, but I can give you a player's perspective. I don't think that you can pinpoint an age or a school year in which one blooms in terms of velocity. First of all, not all students are uniformally of one age at any point in school as there are summer births etc. I am one such summer birth (HS junior that turned 16 right before school started), which at one point lead me to believe that I would "shoot up" a year after all of my peers. However, as of yet that does not seem to be true, as I shot up 7mph between my freshman and sophmore seasons and 5mph in a matter of 4 months with just old-fashioned weightlifting and playing football. While I do not know how much harder I am throwing this year than last, I feel like I would have realized if the difference were similar to last years's.
On the other hand, I know of a kid who graduated from HS last year how threw about 3mph harder during his senior year than he did during his freshman year. In other words, I don't think that one can pinpoint this time in a pitcher's career when a pitcher "clicks".

I wouldn't buy into this "click" theory.

You will see velocity jumps as you get bigger/stronger and become more efficient with your mechanics.

But more importantly you should be continully working towards increasing your velocity, improving your mechanics, getting stronger (more athletic/explosive)...all those things that are needed to become the best ball player that you can possibly be.

That way you can feel good about the fact that you did everything you possibly could to get better, and not waiting around for something to "click".

Perhaps he is an exception, but Texan Son's velocity has been on a straight line increase since about 13YO. Prior to that, occasionally there were "jumps", but not since.

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Originally posted by switchitter:
I have been told by many pitching instructors (colleagues and such) that a high school pitcher is going to eventually "click" at a certain age. In other words, he is going to "get it" somewhere between his sophomore and junior year as far as velocity. This would entail obviously getting stronger, more mature, bigger frame. Where have you guys experienced pitchers "clicking" or getting suddenly faster in pitch speed??

I can't understand why a pitching instructor would make such a statement. All players develop at a different pace and a lot of factors goes into that development. It doesn't have to be in HS.

What about the HS pitcher that doesn't gain more velocity until he is in college or in professional ball?

We were always told to let son develop his velocity naturally. That included going through the natural maturing process, concentrating on better mechanics to avoid injury(this is THE most important) and limiting specific weight training until he might be closer to his potential height. It should be a steady process, though some will gain more than others due to growth spurts. Since HS, son has gained 3mph in his peak velo. But he has gained more in his average cruising velo, from 86-89 in HS to 91-93 out of college due to adjustments in his mechanics. That's what is really important and I think often overlooked. Some think son had a blazing FB in HS, to be honest he only touched 91 when he signed senior fall (1mph gain in a year), had a spurt senior year and hit 93 once before he went off to college. What was obvious, with good instruction, proper training he had a lot more in the tank that would come as he matured.

First hitting 90 as a junior in HS at jupiter for scouts, he just recently hit 96. It was a slow steady process of 5 years, after HS, which we beleive to be the safest and healthiest based on the info given to us by MLB scouts and his college pitching coach.

Andrew is correct, IMO, there is no specific time when a players velo "clicks". And sometimes when it "clicks", if forced unnaturally, it could get stuck and injury can occur. Pitching is based upon projectibility and good coaches and scouts know how to recognize that.

Though we all know that every player and situation is different, this is just an example that things don't "click" the same for everyone. I'd rather know my pitcher is going to "click" later on than "click" in HS and be done with his potential.

JMO.

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though some will gain more than others due to growth spurts

That is a very good point TPM, I did not mention that I grew three inches before and during that MPH jump.

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Though we all know that every player and situation is different, this is just an example that things don't "click" the same for everyone. I'd rather know my pitcher is going to "click" later on than "click" in HS and be done with his potential.

Interesting, because I would think that no pitcher has maxed out in his potential at the HS level because of the improved instruction at the higher levels. For example, I have a very poor follow through and am pretty much an "all arm" pitcher but my HS coach will not let me change my mechanics (why is beyond me... topic for another time). However, I know that all of the college coaches with whom I have spoken stated that they intend to correct my mechanics were I to go to their school. Therefore, even if I have or will have "clicked" with my current mechanics by the completion of HS, I'm sure one could make the arguement that I have not yet clicked overall because of the future alterations in mechanics.

By potential I mean future potential, not every pitcher in HS going to play college ball has a future potential for more growth and velocity. Same with position players.

If you are throwing all arm, not sure why someone has not helped make changes, but sometimes changes can not work well, so maybe he decided to leave someone else to do the work.

I don't know your situation, your future growth potential, your future arm strength. I just found the post to be odd, how can someone say that a pitcher "clicks" between his sophmore and junior year? It takes years to properly condition the body to reach it's full potential. Some might reach it in HS, others maybe not until later.

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Originally posted by Tiger Paw Mom: I just found the post to be odd, how can someone say that a pitcher "clicks" between his sophmore and junior year? It takes years to properly condition the body to reach it's full potential. Some might reach it in HS, others maybe not until later.

Thanks for the responses. I too found the click theory interesting. But several of these particular instructors are highly regarding in the area so I had to give them credence....at the same time wanting to hear the "boards" response. Thanks again!

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Originally posted by Tiger Paw Mom:
and limiting specific weight training until he might be closer to his potential height.

What type of weight training do you avoid until player is closer to potential height? Thanks.

I can't tell you that, maybe someone else can. I just know that when son was in middle school was advised strongly to stay away from heavy weight lifting from many. My understanding and I could be wrong is that this can retard growth if done while the body is still growing. A really good conditioning weight program should be based on one's age and physical potential. Why would a 14-15 year old have the same work out that a 22, 23 year old might do? To me that makes no sense. Yet I see so many young kids come on here asking for pitchers workouts and given college programs or adult programs to follow with the understanding that this will increase velocity. JMO.

When son reached college, he still was not into a full weight program until his sophmore year. Now at 22, he appears to have leveled off in height growth and made more strides in velocity.

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Originally posted by Tiger Paw Mom:
I can't tell you that, maybe someone else can. I just know that when son was in middle school was advised strongly to stay away from heavy weight lifting from many. My understanding and I could be wrong is that this can retard growth if done while the body is still growing.

Lifting too much weight at too young of an age can damage growth plates and/or cause them to close prematurely.

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Originally posted by thepainguy:

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Originally posted by Tiger Paw Mom:
I can't tell you that, maybe someone else can. I just know that when son was in middle school was advised strongly to stay away from heavy weight lifting from many. My understanding and I could be wrong is that this can retard growth if done while the body is still growing.

Lifting too much weight at too young of an age can damage growth plates and/or cause them to close prematurely.

I wonder because all the kids bench press and max out from time to time, do leg reps-heavy at times, dumbells, barbells, etc. Hopefully the coaches/trainers have half a brain and won't let them damage their growth plates. O.K. now back to the thread topic...sorry.