The development of a youth pitcher begins as soon as they first learn how to throw. For many, that happens in the backyard with mom or dad giving basic instruction. From there, the next phase of development falls into the hands of the youth volunteer coach—often a parent of another player on the team.
These coaches usually have some baseball experience. Maybe they played a little in high school or went a bit further. Most of the time, they teach the game the way they were taught. While the intent is good, youth coaches have an incredible responsibility: setting the foundation for how kids throw.
Here are three things every youth coach should focus on with young throwers:
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Teach arm speed through crow hop/long toss.
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Use small games to make throwing competitive.
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Give every player the chance to pitch.
Crow Hop / Long Toss – Teaching Aggression
Introducing the crow hop at an early age is essential. It teaches kids how to throw with aggression and helps them feel what it’s like to generate velocity with proper finish.
Too many players lose this aggressive intent as they get older, and as a result, they struggle to compete with velocity. Teaching the crow hop early—while reinforcing correct mechanics—builds a foundation that carries into pitching mechanics later in their careers.
Small Games – Teaching Competition
Throwing on its own isn’t the most exciting skill to practice. But when you turn it into a game, everything changes. Coaches should build competition into practices by creating target throwing games.
For example:
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Assign points for hitting certain spots: head = 1 point, chest = 2 points, cup area = 3 points.
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Hang a towel through the chain-link fence and have players compete to hit the target.
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Be creative—make the drill fun and engaging.
These games not only keep practices lively, they also teach kids how to throw with intent and accuracy. The coaches who get these players later in their careers will be grateful.
Everyone Pitches
Every player should get the opportunity to pitch at least once. That doesn’t mean everyone will succeed on the mound, but you never know—you might discover a hidden talent.
At the lower levels of youth baseball, it’s especially valuable to rotate positions every inning or two. Giving kids exposure to different spots on the field broadens their understanding of the game and might reveal a pitcher you didn’t know you had.
Coaching for the Right Reasons
The best youth coaches are in it for the right reasons: the kids. If that’s the case, then the responsibility is clear—coaches must do everything they can to help each player succeed, both mentally and physically.
Baseball is the greatest game in the world. Let’s make sure we’re teaching it the right way.