Too Much Focus On The Result

[splinterpicker]

My DD has pitched for 10 yrs. The worst time was at 10u. I learned that most coaches care more about wins than they do about your dd pitching. I know that sounds harsh. They do not care that your dd has worked her butt off with lessons and work at home. The only thing going thru his mind is:" Im going to pull her if she walks 1 more batter or gives up 1 more hit." The 10u coach will usually have more paitence 3 errors by ss or 2 srike outs by 4 hole hitter that a 10 u pitcher walking 3 in a inning. That is why I told my dd at 10 instead of results we are going to look at the effort that was put into the game and focus on the mechanics. For us it paid off.

 

[left turn]

My DD's pitching coach also thought too much emphasis was being put on the results.

He would say, "If we are too concerned about what happens here (pointing to home plate) we can't get it right up there (pointing to the pitchers plate)."

I wish I could have learned that lesson earlier.

 

[left turn]

When my DD was learning to pitch, the local travel coach didn't like to put her in because she didn't always throw strikes. But even as a beginner, she threw strikes more than half of the time. He spent a lot of innings with pitchers just lobbing underhanded pitches over the plate, many for strikes.

Seems like a sure way to suppress the development of pitchers. His focus on strikes made it difficult for her to get pitching time so she could learn to pitch in games.

 

[CoogansBluff]

It's tougher for pitchers because there are limited opportunities to pitch. If you've got 5 pitchers and only 3 give you a chance to win, then only 3 might get to pitch. You've got to produce or you don't get a chance. For hitters, you can be the 10th best batter and still bat.

If the ultimate goal is development, then 10U/12U kids play far too much and don't practice nearly enough. In any 14U tournament that I watch, I'd say fewer than 20 percent of hitters have what I'd call a really good swing. Too much game time, not enough practice and good instruction, imo.

The best women's tennis player in the world never played junior tennis. She just trained on her own until she was ready for the pro tour. That's Serena Williams. What we do for softball is not the best play for development, imo. But there's no pro tour in softball, so maybe having fun is more important than reaching your potential as an athlete.

 

[starsnuffer]

I honestly don't recommend students to pitch in 10u ball, be it rec or travel. They should absolutely learn to pitch at these ages if they want to, but it is very very very rare that a "successful" 10u pitcher makes it to be a successful 14u or higher pitcher. Reasons for this are well defined in the previous posts.

-W

 

[sluggers]

If I had my way, like Amy said, I wouldn't have my kids throw in a game for 2 years, maybe 3 for some.

While I understand your point, I have to disagree. Kids have to play the game to learn to love the game.

The emphasis should be getting kids to pitching coaches as soon as they show some interest in pitching, not stopping them from playing the game.

 

[starsnuffer]

I see your point, Ray, but I'd argue that 10u is a great age for the "other" kids to get in some pitching time. This is why I continue to advocate throwing hard over throwing accurately at that age. I'd much rather one of my kids hurl the ball over the backstop, that way their coach doesn't ask them to pitch in a game. If the kid "throws strikes" at this age, they're going to be the subject of "just play catch, honey".

-W

 

[Sparky Guy]

I think I should have been a little more specific. Not talking about game time pitching. I'm talking about lesson time.

I do want my pitchers to pitch in games so they see that almost everything I talk to them about during lessons happens on the field. If they have a bad outing they usually come to the next lesson very focused if they have any competitive drive in them at all.

One of my girls went to a pitcher exposure camp a couple of weeks ago. She is a very good pitcher, but seeing some older girls and other girls her age who threw the ball VERY well opened her eyes. Now she knows just how much competition is out there.

 

[Bs61sdad]

I love this post! I started out as a bucket dad catching an 8 year old. It took a little time for me to settle down and understand that the ball wasn't going to magically hit my glove. Now that she is a 2nd year 12U pitcher and I have had my share of being a spectator I reflect back on how different things are with a few year of tournaments behind us. Sometimes I have sat in my spectator chair and watched my daughter hit the glove and the umpire call it a ball. At that point, I have been facetious and yelled "hit the glove" when that's what she was doing in the first place. Under those circumstances, I am merely emphasizing the catcher's glove placement or voicing my frustration for an umpire's interpretation of the strike zone. During the last tournament of last summer, an umpire wasn't calling corners for any pitchers and I yelled "hit the corners". I didn't care at that point. It wasn't affecting the outcome of the game and I decided to have a little fun. I think trying to encourage a pitcher that is tired and finishing an inning is different. Parents should just yell "relax and throw".

 

[FrozenRope]

While I understand your point, I have to disagree. Kids have to play the game to learn to love the game.

The emphasis should be getting kids to pitching coaches as soon as they show some interest in pitching, not stopping them from playing the game.

I agree.... 100% and then some. Let's be honest....we're talking girls under the age of 11. 99% of them despite how hard they work, how much they practice, or how many pitching lessones they take, may not excel at it. Whether it be genetics, poor instruction, or whatever. The suggestion I am hearing here from some is to NOT let them pitch in 10U games. Honestly, think about that for a second. If you are making plans for your daughter at the tender age of 8, 9, or even 10, that she's going to work, work, and work some more, never to get the opportunity to do on a game field what she's been busting her rear end to do in hopes she'll be the 12U player of the decade, then I make the statement that "YOU" are servicing "YOUR" own agenda.

I don't agree with telling a young lady that she needs to slow down and throw strikes. But I certainly don't agree with keeping them out of the circle for 2 years so they can learn to do it in isolation before they are "unveiled" to the game.

Don't they need to see/feel what they are working for? I agree that there may be a certain amount of time where you keep them out of the circle while they are just starting out... but 2 years?