Think You’re Cut Out For Pitching? Take This Quiz

This quiz can be taken by people who are thinking about taking on the pitching position or for people who are already pitchers and want to test their progress. I wrote this from the player’s perspective, but parents can take it too.

I notice, as expected, parents new to the sport and position aren’t aware of what it really takes, and are looking for a way to “get by” and just “pitch a few more strikes”, without formally learning how to do the skill. Likewise, long-time players wonder why they’ve hit a plateau. Take this test to see if there are any barriers you need to overcome.

See where your mindset is!

Scoring Guide

• For each "Yes" answer, give yourself 1 point.

• For each "No" answer, give yourself 0 points.

• Am I willing to do a lot of extra practice beyond my team practices and games?

  Pitchers who want to throw strikes, and those who eventually want to throw movement, fast, and and accurately have to put in a lot of extra work. Most people are surprised at how much they have to do to stay competitive.

• Does my mom or dad want to practice with me in the backyard 3-6 days per week in addition to games and team practices?

  Players need help. For most young people, in order to learn to practice on their own, they need to be shown by their parents how to work hard. Pitchers also need catchers (as opposed to a net) to make practice fun and also get feedback!

• Am I willing to practice in the backyard 3-6 days per week in addition to games and team practices?

   If you are not willing to do extra work, it’s probably a better use of your time to play another position that fits your level of desire.

• Do I play multiple sports or do some sort of physical training?

   In order to pitch fast, you need to be strong and athletic. Players who only pitch or play softball as their sole physical activity are limited in what they can accomplish. Even if players play multiple sports, once they hit age 12-14 they will have to do strength training in addition to other sports. They will also have to do prehab arm health exercises to avoid injury.

• Is my mom or dad physically capable of catching for me?

  Pitching is a hard position to get good at if your catcher misses the ball. When pitchers are afraid of injuring their mom or dad, they throw slower, which affects their mechanics. Also, parents who keep getting hit with balls don’t love to catch and hesitate to practice. If parents are willing to either 1. wear full catchers equipment, or 2. watch and give feedback while a sibling catches, it could work.

• Will my mom or dad take me to lessons?

  Lessons require a large financial and time commitment. Pitchers need to formally learn how to pitch, just like anything else.

• Am I playing another sport but will still make time for lessons?

  In order to be a pitcher and play another sport, which is recommended, you must play the other sport and ALSO take time to practice your pitching. If you have run out of time to do your homework, another sport, go to school, and practice your pitching, you might want to choose another position.

• Do I like being the center of attention and everyone looking at me?

   This is a double-edged sword. You have to be okay with having the ball every play of the game, but also can’t be self-centered. After all, you are only one person out of 9 on a team. A great pitcher has a balanced view on this.

• Do I love to compete?

  If yes, then you have a chance to be a great pitcher someday.

• Do I have a good attention span?

  Pitching can get very detailed and nuanced. There's a lot to learn, and if you have difficulty paying attention, sitting through all those lessons will not be fun for you. Learning to pitch requires a lot of thinking, pondering, patience, and listening to your coach.

• Am I interested in pitching?

  You won't make it if you parent or coach is "making" you pitch. However, if you've never TRIED pitching before, give it a season before you decide. After that, if you aren't interested pick a different position. If you really don’t like it, then don’t do it!

• Am I willing to drive far to be on the team that will give me enough innings to pitch?

  As you get older you’ll notice you get more discerning about finding a team that fits your ambition and talent level best. Unfortunately, that requires more travel for most families.

• Am I able to take responsibility for my performance? Do I have thick skin?

  If you have the propensity to blame the umpire, your teammates, or the other team for your mistakes or inability to adjust, this position might not be for you. On the other hand, if you want to LEARN how to take more responsibility but aren’t good at it quite yet, this position will definitely help you along the way to acquire it if you stick with it!

• Do I understand that pitching takes more commitment and time to practice than any other position?

  Being a good defensive player and a good hitter takes many individual hours of at-home practice to keep up with the competition. If you don't practice by the time you get older, you’ll find fewer players with lower skill levels to compete with. Imagine having to learn how to field a ground ball, just like all the other infield positions, learn to hit, and on top of that learning to pitch. That’s a whole separate position on top of everyone else’s position.

• Can I bounce back from failure?

  On average, most pitches aren't strikes until you are at least two years in to pitching - and that’s if you do all the practice. Pitching is mostly failure and a little bit of success. Waiting for those successes is worth it, but if you are afraid to fail, pitching might not be for you.

Key

• 13-15 points: You are highly ready and committed to becoming a softball pitcher.

• 9-12 points: You show good potential but may need to work on a few areas.

• 4-8 points: You have some interest but might need more commitment or support.

• 0-3 points: Pitching might not be the right fit for you at the moment. Consider discussing with your coach or family to explore other positions or areas of improvement.

Pitching is a challenging yet immensely rewarding position that requires dedication, resilience, and a passion for improvement. Regardless of your score, this quiz is a stepping stone to understanding what it takes to succeed on the mound. Use this guide to set up your next steps, whether that means diving deeper into pitching practice, seeking additional training, or start pumping iron!