Freshman pitching varsity struggling with throws to first

[AR Softball dad]

DD is a 9th grader and has pitched all varsity games except first one- the senior pitcher pitched
DD has been successfull with her pitching changing speeds and location. Saturday we were in championship game w two outs and dd makes bad throw to first. This was dd 4th game of pitching. It is common for this to happen w pitchers? We have worked on those throws all the time. I was proud for her getting second place against some good teams-but as a parent i want to help keep her confidence up. Any other dd had this issue? What did u do to work through it?
Thanks one proud dad

 

[CoachKevin]

Was this a 1 time event, or does it happen a lot? If it was the 1 time event, everyone makes mistakes no big deal, move on. If this is a constant problem then there may be issues.

 

[Luvmykids]

Three suggestions from me, and this is based on the assumption that the wild throw is a rarity.
1. Don't focus on it or it can become psychological, think Steve Sax, Chuck Knobloch, Steve Blass, Rick Ankiel as people that were paid a lot of money to play and totally lost the ability to throw a baseball. Players can't play athletically if they are thinking too much. I don't know your daughter or you or the coach she plays for, but constant correction combined with feedback on every throw from a coach or parent will make a player think too much IMHO. Even a positive, "that is how you do it" reinforces all the times it was done wrong. Kids are smart, and she probably was beating herself up, without any feedback, so get her out of her head when she throws.
2. Reinforce your pride in her accomplishments and in competing at a high level successfully, because that is what she did at that tournament. I saw highlights of a major league SS drop a hump back liner right at him, didn't have to move an inch, just catch the ball this past week. And you know what I am going to type next, errors are part of the game. The game is based on failure. It is who fails the least usually wins. And those that fail the least are usually those that learn and forget at the same time.
3. When my team or a group of players on the team start struggling throwing (usually because of bad mechanics), I have them do a wall drill/contest where they stand 10 feet from a wall and throw as hard as possible against the wall. At 10 ft, they catch the first three balls coming back at them pretty easy. Then they take a step into 7 ft and repeat, if you miss the ball in any of the three throws coming back you are out. Then another step to 5 ft, continuing until 1 player is left and is declared the winner. We quit taking steps when they get to 3 ft from the wall and just go until time is up or someone wins. They think we are focussing on fielding when we do this, which there is some part of the drill that helps with fielding. But in reality we are trying to build good transfer and throwing mechanics under the guise of a fielding contest. You coach the throws ( a balanced transfer makes a better throw, the ball comes straight back to you), not the fielding technique. It seems to get the kids to stop thinking about their throws and smooths out their mechanics.

 

[bucket pinata]

When she fields the ball in the circle are the coaches teaching her to cut the distance by fielding the ball and sprinting toward first.many times you can underhand the throw from 5 feet.of coarse this wont work in every situation.looking back third,close to plate bunts.

 

[halskinner]

Dont sweat it. It is VERRY common. For the most part, in games. pitchers are lousy oiverhand throwers when under pressure. It happens to all of us pitchers, male and female. Same muscles getting used way differently.

My infielders used to tell me "Dont field anything unless it is right straight back at you, LET US GET IT." (They hardly ever let me hit either!)

 

[Jojo]

I know from experience how bad a problem this can be. There was a pitcher in my DD's high school district that couldn't throw to first. Great pitcher, but teams just bunted and soon she had to be removed. I've always made sure I've spent time with my young pitchers on overhand throws since seeing her.

Right now, I'm working with a 8u player on overhand throwing. She came to me with a severe sidearm and she's doing good, she's throwing harder, straighter, more accurate, but guess what she's having problems doing now? Throwing to the pitcher from 1st base (she plays first). So now I'm putting her in situational play where we go over that throw, making her take her time, SEE the pitcher, I don't know about your DD, but in watching my little 8u, she wasn't looking at the pitcher in the beginning of her throwing motion, it wasn't until right when she snapped the ball off that she looked over. She was also moving into her throwing motion not looking at the target, so by the time she released, she was already off with her motion and release.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

This was dd 4th game of pitching.

That weekend? Well, it is a wonder that she could raise her arm to throw to first base. That is too many games. Isn't HS 7 innings?

 

[David Carter]

Happened to us at our last tournament although it was only second game of the day she had pitched 3 games day before (not complete games but parts). She tried to catch a runner taking a big lead at 3B that cost us the tournament but....you know what I never said a word, her dad my AC let her know not to try pick off plays with game on the line and that was the end of it. There is no need for additional practice throws she already does those, no need to harp on the issue, just keep on working.

Odds are just as in my case you guys would not have been their without her and she is 100% aware of what she did wrong. I understand you mean something like a drill or something but what extra drill or work would you suggest if your SS overthrew the ball....nothing you can do stuff happens and you move on.

 

[SoCalASABlue]

All teams go through this situation. The key is hopefully the player will be able to get mentally stronger and slow the game down in her head so she'll realize she has more time than she thinks to make a good throw.

 

[sluggers]

This was dd 4th game of pitching. It is common for this to happen w pitchers?

I wouldn't say "common", but I would say "it happens". My guess is that your DD is not used to playing against kids who are going to hit the ball when she pitches, so she was surprised she had to field.

Any other dd had this issue?

Everyone has had this issue. (Justin Verlander in the 2006 World Series comes to mind.)

What did u do to work through it?

Me? Oh, I just yelled at my DD. I felt much better after I finished berating her.