Evoloution of a pitcher from 10U to 12U

[BT3100]

My DD is in her 2nd year of 12U ball. We've been on the roller coaster of the pitchers parents from an early age to 10U where you pray that every pitch is a strike.
This past weekend she faced two teams and it was a joy to watch. The first team she dominated and moved the ball all over the zone and was close to un-hittable. 2 hits and 8Ks in 3 innings.
The next game was against a better hitting team and it was a cat and mouse all game. To sit in the outfield and watch her and the batters battle was incredible. At times they hit her and at times she made them look silly.. Just a great game of girl vs. girl in 34 degree weather with a 40 MPH wind.. We lost the game but to watch her mature as a player and pitcher was more gratifying than the win. To you 10U and 12U parents having doubts DON'T... Stick with it.. There will be days where nothing works (maybe Saturday for us but never give up.. It's a journey and if you take any advice from a guy who has been there enjoy it. Some days your on the struggle bus other days your DD's is rolling along.. It will happen and when it does!! It's fun.
Thanks to the threads in the Pitching forum for opening our eyes!

 

[Sparky Guy]

I'll let you in on a little secret... It's that way all the way through college.

 

[msamom]

My DD is in her 2nd year of 12U ball. We've been on the roller coaster of the pitchers parents from an early age to 10U where you pray that every pitch is a strike.
This past weekend she faced two teams and it was a joy to watch. The first team she dominated and moved the ball all over the zone and was close to un-hittable. 2 hits and 8Ks in 3 innings.
The next game was against a better hitting team and it was a cat and mouse all game. To sit in the outfield and watch her and the batters battle was incredible. At times they hit her and at times she made them look silly.. Just a great game of girl vs. girl in 34 degree weather with a 40 MPH wind.. We lost the game but to watch her mature as a player and pitcher was more gratifying than the win. To you 10U and 12U parents having doubts DON'T... Stick with it.. There will be days where nothing works (maybe Saturday for us but never give up.. It's a journey and if you take any advice from a guy who has been there enjoy it. Some days your on the struggle bus other days your DD's is rolling along.. It will happen and when it does!! It's fun.
Thanks to the threads in the Pitching forum for opening our eyes!

This is great to hear. I am stressing a bit about my DD's situation. I decided to play her up in 12U so she could play with friends. But now that tournament season is starting, I don't think she'll be getting very much playing time. The older girls are definitely better than her, and she is maybe the 3rd string pitcher. I am starting to see her confidence drop, and not sure if I say something to the coach - like, hey could you encourage her even though she is warming your bench?

How does playing time usually work out? If there are 12 girls, and 3 game pool play? We are having our first tournament this coming weekend, and it is our first year of TB. Is there a chance my daughter won't even play?

 

[chrispots]

This is great to hear. I am stressing a bit about my DD's situation. I decided to play her up in 12U so she could play with friends. But now that tournament season is starting, I don't think she'll be getting very much playing time. The older girls are definitely better than her, and she is maybe the 3rd string pitcher. I am starting to see her confidence drop, and not sure if I say something to the coach - like, hey could you encourage her even though she is warming your bench?

How does playing time usually work out? If there are 12 girls, and 3 game pool play? We are having our first tournament this coming weekend, and it is our first year of TB. Is there a chance my daughter won't even play?

Of course there is a chance your DD won't play...I don't run my ship like that but understand this is a possibility...

NOTE: IF this happens wait until Monday or Tuesday to talk to the coach...

CP

 

[chrispots]

My DD is in her 2nd year of 12U ball. We've been on the roller coaster of the pitchers parents from an early age to 10U where you pray that every pitch is a strike.
This past weekend she faced two teams and it was a joy to watch. The first team she dominated and moved the ball all over the zone and was close to un-hittable. 2 hits and 8Ks in 3 innings.
The next game was against a better hitting team and it was a cat and mouse all game. To sit in the outfield and watch her and the batters battle was incredible. At times they hit her and at times she made them look silly.. Just a great game of girl vs. girl in 34 degree weather with a 40 MPH wind.. We lost the game but to watch her mature as a player and pitcher was more gratifying than the win. To you 10U and 12U parents having doubts DON'T... Stick with it.. There will be days where nothing works (maybe Saturday for us but never give up.. It's a journey and if you take any advice from a guy who has been there enjoy it. Some days your on the struggle bus other days your DD's is rolling along.. It will happen and when it does!! It's fun.
Thanks to the threads in the Pitching forum for opening our eyes!

Good stuff BT! Great motivation for those on the fence...I second your opinion of stick with it!

Good to hear DD is doing well!

CP

 

[grcsftbll]

Great post

msamom- when I was asking about getting pitching time in the fall, many wise people here told me to find a team where my DD would get to play. We liked the team, such a great group of girls, and we didn't listen. I'm not going to say it was a mistake because we definitely got some valuable lessons and better now when she's 9 than later when it really matters. But we did end up switching teams after fall to a team that actually wanted her and we're all happier for it, especially my DD. What they told me is it didn't matter whether the team she was on was winning or losing, or the name of the team at this age, what mattered was reps & playing AGAINST good teams. From what I can tell they were 100% right. In our first tourney with the new team my DD pitched as much as she did all fall with the old team. I'm sure your situation is different from ours, but just food for thought on that. It is very possible that at least for the bracket games they'll play 9 and if they do your DD will probably sit a good bit if she's one of the weakest players on the team.

 

[msamom]

Great post

msamom- when I was asking about getting pitching time in the fall, many wise people here told me to find a team where my DD would get to play. We liked the team, such a great group of girls, and we didn't listen. I'm not going to say it was a mistake because we definitely got some valuable lessons and better now when she's 9 than later when it really matters. But we did end up switching teams after fall to a team that actually wanted her and we're all happier for it, especially my DD. What they told me is it didn't matter whether the team she was on was winning or losing, or the name of the team at this age, what mattered was reps & playing AGAINST good teams. From what I can tell they were 100% right. In our first tourney with the new team my DD pitched as much as she did all fall with the old team. I'm sure your situation is different from ours, but just food for thought on that. It is very possible that at least for the bracket games they'll play 9 and if they do your DD will probably sit a good bit if she's one of the weakest players on the team.

Thank you folks above for replying. The input is helpful, and I want to go in knowing what to expect. Sometimes I do regret it because she made a 10U team that was a little further away, the coach really wanted her and said she needs to be playing travel ball somewhere. But we will finish the season out with this 12U team because we made a commitment and she's getting her hitting and pitching lessons in anyway.

 

[SoAZDad]

Yup, some days you eat the bear, and some days the bear eats you. No matter what your skill level. Keep practicing and keep having fun