Pitchers Parents

So we hear and read about on here about those crazy "pitchers parents ".

Question why and what makes it that way? I know personally as a manager and a dad of a pitcher I get more involved of the manager title on her. Decision on when to pull her or keep her in. Allstars as a parent was nice only cause she was a reliever and not a starter.

Just throwing the topic out there.

Almost all "good" pitchers have parents who are very emotionally invested in their child's success. It takes a tremendous amount of work for the child to develop in the pitcher. The parents usually have a lot of time, money and energy invested in the child's development as a pitcher.

So, naturally, these parents have a hard time "emotionally distancing" themselves from the child, and letting the child succeed or fail on her own. Some parents want to control everything to insure that their child succeeds.

The worst are those who don't understand competition--i.e., sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but you play the games even though you might lose because they are supposed to be fun.

Not that we've had a lot of competitive experience but as a bucket mom/pitching parent, I try to ensure DD (and all team pitchers) get proper warm up, cool down and hydration. For my DD, I let manager decide when to pull but have no issues with pulling that chain quickly if needed. Team first is my motto. This is a life lesson I want DD to learn....I is not before team.

I also try to block HE input or other fallacies of softball that get thrown in our way. I'm a believer that ball is ball. The athletes are different and we adjust for that but in the end ball is ball.

Crazy pitcher parent.....maybe. But no one is looking out for DD more.

It's not my place to question circle time, other pitchers mechanics, or the politics of it all.

sluggers said:

Almost all "good" pitchers have parents who are very emotionally invested in their child's success. It takes a tremendous amount of work for the child to develop in the pitcher. The parents usually have a lot of time, money and energy invested in the child's development as a pitcher.

So, naturally, these parents have a hard time "emotionally distancing" themselves from the child, and letting the child succeed or fail on her own. Some parents want to control everything to insure that their child succeeds.

The worst are those who don't understand competition--i.e., sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but you play the games even though you might lose because they are supposed to be fun.

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I hear you on the money and time thing. Lots of dollars used for pitching coaches. Lots of sweat with the time

As a coach and a Pitchers dad it is very hard - You do have a lot invested in the kid and frankly I love her more than life and hate to see her fail -
This year she has been recovering from a back injury and not up to full capacity so I spend a lot of time trying to focus on other things when she pitches. She is so hard on herself when she fails it tears me up inside if she's having a bad game.

She takes a great deal of pride in being a good pitcher and has never really struggled at pitching, not that she wins them all or has not been rocked but even when she's rocked it's because the other team was hitting her pitches not that she's missing.
This year she’s been wilder then she has ever been and has less power. It's a new experience for her -

She's one of those kids that won't tell you if she's hurting so I find myself as a coach having to ask "Are you OK out there kid" The answer is always "I'm Fine" - and you have to guess how much a lie that is.

I've explained to her as both a coach and as her father that we have other pitchers she doesn't have to feel like she has to always pitch a complete game. but she says "I just want to do my job - I don't want to let my team down"

So yea - been emotionally invested - Not for the Money we've spent on lessons or some pie in the sky scholarship or even my own pride but because she's my baby girl and she's struggling.

It is more relaxing for me when someone else is pitching, other than DD.

The strikeouts are more satisfying, though, when DD is throwing.

Seen a few pitchers' parents over the last few years and maybe 3 were the micromanaging type, 1 full on batsh1+ crazy.

The rest just ride it out, pitch by pitch, and chew on nails/towel/seeds. They're usually fine when their kid isn't in the circle.

BobInMadison said:

It is more relaxing for me when someone else is pitching, other than DD.

The strikeouts are more satisfying, though, when DD is throwing.

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My dw stresses out more when I have her pitch. Agree on the strikeouts too. Especially the back words ones! Lol

Yes My family has invested a lot of money and time to develop DD as a pitcher. She loves to pitch. Me and DW love to watch her. Neither of us are too hardcore. We learned a couple years ago that tweaking on her doesn't help anything or anyone. Neither of us say anything to her when she's in the circle (she can't her it anyway, she says she only hears her coach and her defense. When she has a good day, it's fun to watch. When she gets clobbered, she maintains composure as well as any 12YO I've seen and fist bumps the reliever as she give up the ball, on her way to a defensive position or to the bench. When she has a great day, it's REALLY fun to watch.

Great, good, or bad day, they all result in life lessons for DD, DW, and me.

WARRIORMIKE said:

My dw stresses out more when I have her pitch. Agree on the strikeouts too. Especially the back words ones! Lol

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The last time DD was pitching, I may have been too nervous to properly cheer or give encouragement when she was struggling, other than a thumbs up or "great pitching" when she walked back to the dugout and looked my way.

OTOH, I heard some VERY loud shouts of encouragement ('C'mon ________, you've got this!") and praise after good pitches ("Great pitch!") from the OTHER starting pitcher's grandfather. Maybe he can relax more when his granddaughter is in the outfield. I think I may cheer louder for his granddaughter than my DD.