Periodically, and hopefully as much as once a week, there will be some useful information to pass onto to you and your baseball throwing child.

The first tip is to be smart with the amount of pitching your child is doing in these first few weeks back into playing games. Due to the rain and spring break, it is easy to feel as though a long break is the perfect solution to a pitcher who has thrown alot of pitches in the first half of the season.

However, this is where the double-edged sword comes into play. Yes, a break is always good for a tired arm, or even the pitcher who has pitched alot.

Yet, the other side of the coin says that without much throwing going on that there is a good chance that in the next few weeks, your child's arm strength will be right back to where it was before this break in the season.............either sore or there will be nothing on their pitch.

Many times parents will say to me "He just doesn't seem to throw as hard as before". And I say, "Absolutely that is true. However, how much throwing have they been doing over the break." Most times, it is not alot.

The arm needs to throw.........not necessarily pitch.......but throw at least 3-4 times a week in order to maintain its ability to have some life on the throw. If this isn't possible, then the goal of throwing a certain speed (whether it is measured or not!!) needs to be lowered........until the arm strength is back to a level where the parents and coaches can see a difference.

Make it a point to play catch.......even if only for 10 minutes. It will make a world of difference in your child's arm strength and durability.

Until next time...

Jim