Crazy Parent(s) and Pitchers

[YOCOACH]

Yes it was a private tryout with the assistant coach. He had brought his DD and was drilling with her so I figured it was me or DW. If it was a team practice or game, DD would have been on her own to find someone.

 

[Jojo]

At 11 my DD's pitching instructor told us that she needed to play travel ball but at the time we didn't think she was ready.
Her tryout consisted of both the head coach and asst coach of a local TB team and their daughters coming to her pitching lesson and watching her pitch there.
It was a good thing I was kept occupied by having to catch her, don't know what I'd do if I had to just stand and watch.

 

[Jillsdad]

I suffer from a disease that I didn't know existed a year ago - I have named it "2-0 Count Heartburn"

 

[DOG310]

Great stuff! I sit far away from everyone except DW (and she sometimes moves away from me, go figure). Also, I do a scorebook to keep me somewhat distracted.

I believe keeping my head down, looking at the scorebook, keeps DD from seeing the dreaded "WTH was that pitch" look in my eyes! Although I am concerned that my frequent PPTS screams of "OMG" may be giving me away.

 

[Thing1Thing2]

Is it possible that having at least one crazy parent actually maximizes the odds for a pitcher to succeed at a very high level? I mean that seriously. When you think about it, what "sane" parent spends thousands of dollars for pitching lessons, videos, camps, and equipment for a freakin' game? Sits on a bucket for hours every week risking at the very least shin damage? Goes to out-of-town softball tournaments and proudly calls them "family vacations"? Reads online message boards and stands in a mirror trying to replicate "internal rotation" to make sure they understand the concept. I could go on.

We then turnaround expect these same parents to behave rationally generally but especially when their DD pitches?? Seriously? I have gotten sooo much better over the past 3 years but I still try to keep my mouth full of sunflower seeds to avoid sudden Turrets-like outbursts.

In all seriousness if I see an outstanding pitcher in the circle, I can almost guarantee a crazy Dad/Mom is pacing around muttering incoherently somewhere in the ballpark. So next time you see when of us, please take pity, we are working on it one week at a time.

Love this!!!! Accidentally hit page 51 and read this!!!!

 

[sutherlandfinch]

This is the most refreshing thread in a long time. As THE crazy parent in our family, I'm most likely found somewhere Near the 180 mark on the sidelines. Turrets ... Guilty. My wife sits with the family- I stay away so they can enjoy themselves.

O-2 hits, 0-2 into 3-2, predictable pitch calling, not throwing the change up enough, magic 8 ball strike zone, and opposing team dad screaming for their kid to " hit it right back at her" .... Yeah I'm better off as far away as possible. ..... Good topic.

 

[JAD]

I was actually thinking about this the other night.....wondering if my DW and I would still be "psycho softball parents" if our DD was not a pitcher. I know that my "pucker" factor goes up exponentially when my DD is pitching vs. when she is just playing in the field.

 

[cuzmail]

I don’t know about maximizing the odds for a pitchers success, but I’m pretty sure that (almost) all high level pitchers have at least one crazy parent, for all of the reasons listed by the OP.

The same goes for a successful athlete in any other sport. My oldest DD was horse crazy and determined to train horses for a living since the age of 10. Her Mom and I became “Crazy Horse Show Parents”; we spent thousands of dollars on horses, lessons, tack (did you know that a decent western show saddle costs nearly $10,000?) horse shows across the western states (cost of approximately $1,000 per “A” Show and $7,000 once per year for nationals) and other odds and ends. When DD was in the show arena Mom and I paced, mumbled, video taped, growled and made idiots of ourselves. In the end my DD is doing exactly what we spent all that time, sanity and money preparing her for; She trains and shows Morgan Horses at the top level shows in the western states. Last year she won the Western Pleasure Junior Exhibiter World Championship on one of her clients’ horses. She lives for horses and loves what she does for a living at 22 years old.

When youngest DD decided she wanted to be a pitcher we thought “Cool, softball should be a breeze compared to horse shows!” WELL… We have learned that the cost of softball equals horses, if not exceeds. I have done every single thing that the OP mentions, but I too am getting better. I keep score on my tablet so I don’t have time to freak out when DD is in the circle.

We do this craziness for our kids. We want, more than anything, to see them succeed and will do almost anything to help them. Some go about it differently than their DD wants them to and the kid ultimately quits softball, but some of us are lucky enough to be just the right balance of “CRAZY” to see this thing to the end.

It could be worse!

My DD is a pitcher in 12U A travel softball and a speed event rider in 4H events and rodeos. There just isn't enough time for both! So we are either in the living quarters horse trailer going to an event or in the truck loaded down with yellow ball stuff going to a tournament. The crazy parents syndrome happens at both types of events.

Wouldn't change it for anything. Spending time with family and helping DD chase her dreams makes my day. You just can't replace the quality time or ask for more once it has passed.

 

[Sftballdad1]

Thanks for This

Love this!!!! Accidentally hit page 51 and read this!!!!

Sure glad you did...because holy cow I truly thought it was just me.

I alway thought that a career as a sports psychologist was stupid, but it just occured to me perhaps its for the parents and not the players..

Thanks for bringing this one back up!!! Ha!

 

[BradB41]

I know that my "pucker" factor goes up exponentially when my DD is pitching vs. when she is just playing in the field.

That is so true!