Pitcher Parent Psychosis

[dadofadirtlover]

14U game at a park we were visiting for our REC out of park game last year. Mom was at the backstop threatening to slash the tires of HU to show him what too low really looks like. This wasn't our game btw. We were passing this field to get to field 3 where we proceeded to get run ruled by some obscene number that I don't even remember.

 

[Sparky Guy]

I'm THE worst coach for pitcher with a crazy parent(s). I've been there, done that and my DD has the rings, trophies and awards to prove it. There is ABSOLUTELY nothing they can tell me that I haven't seen before. All it would take is for my DD to throw a few pitches and they usually keep quiet after that. I will tell them when good or bad things are going to happen to their DD's and they will come back and ask me how'd I know? The answer is usually the same. I've seen it all before.

When DD was still pitching I would sit in my chair off to the side or behind the backstop several feet. I would not move, shout or gesture no matter what the game situation was. I've had parents ask me how I can just sit there? I would tell them it does my DD no good to see me pacing, screaming or doing any other crazy crap. She will ignore all of the other nonsense going on outside the fence from everyone else.

I make sure I talk to the parents of the girls I work with and tell them the same thing. Went to watch one of my students pitch in a game. Mom was pacing back and forth behind the backstop like a caged animal. I told the mom she needs to sit down, watch, cheer and be calm. After the game I asked the girl in front of her mom if it made her nervous to her mom getting all worked up; she knew nothing of the conversation I had with her mom. And the girl said yes it did. The 300 watt light bulb went off for mom. I asked the girl if mom was being calm when she pitched and she said she was doing real well with it. So if you see a crazy parent ask them if they think it really helps their DD to see them all worked up?

 

[grcsftbll]

My husband is more likely to get crazy than I am. He's not anything like most of these stories but I have to remind him not to coach her during games. Don't critique her swing or throw or pitching. IMO it's just not the time. That's what practice is for. He knows it's true but he gets caught up sometimes.

 

[dbronstein]

For those of you who are NOT parents of pitchers ---

Just try to imagine what it is like to sit behind home plate, watching Every. Single. Pitch. your DD is throwing. Maybe she's on a hot streak, maybe not. Maybe she strikes out the side, maybe she's take out in the middle of the inning. AND --- whether the team wins or loses depends enormously on how well your DD is pitching. AND --- it is a bracket game. They go home if she pitches badly, and advance if she pitches well.

I can see why some pitcher parents go a little nuts. Seriously, my DD 3's PC asked me how I can watch a game from behind home plate. When his DD pitches, he MIGHT get as close as the outfield. More likely a hill overlooking the field. I don't know how I can take it. In one rec league game, when they switched pitchers, I walked over to the new pitcher's dad and informed him that it was HIS turn to go nuts. He understood.

Last fall, we were in the end of season tournament (this is 12U rec ball) in an elimination game, we're ahead by 1 going to the bottom of the last inning, DD was pitching (she was the #3 pitcher, #1 used up her innings for the game and #2 wasn't at the game). I'm an AC so I was in the dugout. I could barely watch. I know I was much more nervous than she was. We ended up losing on a bang-bang play at the plate. We thought the runner was out, of course.

 

[dbronstein]

Typical pitcher's parent ^^^. They think it's all about their kid.

Sincerely,

- A Catcher's Dad

We had a game where HC's DD was catching and the other AC's DD was pitching. The pitcher was struggling with control and there were a lot of passed balls. AC made a comment about the catcher, it wasn't in regards to the passed balls but it came off that way. HC responded wtih something like "Well if your daughter would throw some strikes!" I thought they were going to go at it. Fortunately they both calmed down.

 

[Eric F]

We had a game where HC's DD was catching and the other AC's DD was pitching. The pitcher was struggling with control and there were a lot of passed balls. AC made a comment about the catcher, it wasn't in regards to the passed balls but it came off that way. HC responded wtih something like "Well if your daughter would throw some strikes!" I thought they were going to go at it. Fortunately they both calmed down.

In complete contrast....I was the AC on a team last spring (10U rec) where the HC's DD was the #1 pitcher. My DD learned how to be a team leader and her pitcher's therapist.

HC and his DD learned how much of a difference a good catcher can make. HC and I became close friends during that season, and remain so today.

All that said, if HC wasn't a coach, he'd be the kind of guy who paces behind the backstop and agonizes over every pitch - the kind of guy this thread is about. That's why I handled visits to the circle when his DD was pitching. It was better for everyone involved.

 

[chinamigarden]

I have had my moments as a pitcher's dad, went through a stage where I felt like pointing out every bad ball/strike call an ump made. Got over that quick enough.

However I found out how to make other pitcher parents (OPP) nuts.
OPP:. Your dd is throwing good
Me: Thanks
OPP: how fast does she pitch
Me: No idea, fast enough I guess
OPP: Well my dd throws a zillion
Me: Hmm you should be proud
OPP: So your dd looks to throw faster, what does she do best?
Me: fielding
OPP: No I mean as a pitcher
Me; Yeah, fielding
OPP: never mind, how many pitches does she throw, my dd throws eleventy
Me: 2
OPP: sorry I thought you said 2.
Me Yeah 2 a fast one and a slow one
OPP: well she throws something that moves a lot
Me: well if its moving fast, thats the fast one
OPP: Well its obviously a curve ball, how does she get it to move like that
Me; No idea, she always has had that movement and I have done nothing to try to figure it out for fear messing around would straighten it out
OPP: well aren't you worried she won't be able to do it again if she doesn't know how it works
Me: I never thought about it, but maybe she knows how she does it, I've never really quizzed her on it.
OPP: who is her pitching coach?
Me: I am I guess, oh and herself
OPP; walks off muttering how is my dd pitching behind this girl.

 

[Ariel116]

I usually stand over by right field where my kid can't see me when she is pitching. It's really better for everyone if I do this otherwise I have to go to the parking lot and sit in the car.

 

[3bmama]

Ever seen/heard a pitcher parent and a catcher parent exchange words?

The mom of my DDs primary catcher is my best friend on the team. Phew. I didn't know it could get crazy!

 

[PEPPERS]

I usually stand over by right field where my kid can't see me when she is pitching. It's really better for everyone if I do this otherwise I have to go to the parking lot and sit in the car.

DD tells me I make her nervous so I usually go somewhere she can't see me.