obbay
Banned
Each year I get to see everyone on the team get a little better, while DD seems to get a little worse.
DD is in her junior year of HS, 3rd year as a varsity starter. started out good (batting over .500) but each year has been successively worse. this year after 10 games she's at .206 which is about .250 below last year which was .100+ below the year before. she has struck out more times (3) in these 10 games than she had in the last two seasons, combined.
Freshman year she was the #2 pitcher behind a senior . sophomore year introduced another pitcher into the mix who didn't throw hard, didn't try hard but somehow batters couldn't hit well off her. she edged out DD as THE pitcher (even though she had no desire to-the kid is very nice and supportive of DD) because for reasons no one could figure out, she wasn't getting hit and when she did, they didn't hit her hard. If a kid ever had an Angel watching over her, it's this kid!
DD practices pitching and hitting year round and the other pitcher doesn't touch a softball unless she has to. the other pitcher is no bigger than DD so it's not like she's bigger and stronger. with one of the worst (DBSF) swings on the team, she is probably leading the team in hitting, too. most hits are just hard enough to avoid the outstretched reach of an infielder.
this year DD had some mystery injury/illness (Costochondritis) that started about a month before preseason started. she was unable to practice, play or pitch in the preseason and had to ease back into it. first two games as DH she went 4 for 6 since then its been 3 for 28. There is a drama faction on the team that is loving this, which only makes it worse.
she is feeling better, good enough to play and defensively she's playing well. She pitched a few innings and did well and then pitched a full 7, 2-hit, "almost shutout" (but it was an easy team).
Now that we are halfway thru the season, I expect she will drop down to the lower half of the order and only get to pitch in the easy games.
I know she is trying to keep a strong face, but it's killing her inside. she has been one of the two best players on the team for the past two seasons, and now ....
the only way I can help her out of the hole is to stand back and support her, but I don't want to lie to her either.
any advice/recommendations you can offer is appreciated- thanks!
DD is in her junior year of HS, 3rd year as a varsity starter. started out good (batting over .500) but each year has been successively worse. this year after 10 games she's at .206 which is about .250 below last year which was .100+ below the year before. she has struck out more times (3) in these 10 games than she had in the last two seasons, combined.
Freshman year she was the #2 pitcher behind a senior . sophomore year introduced another pitcher into the mix who didn't throw hard, didn't try hard but somehow batters couldn't hit well off her. she edged out DD as THE pitcher (even though she had no desire to-the kid is very nice and supportive of DD) because for reasons no one could figure out, she wasn't getting hit and when she did, they didn't hit her hard. If a kid ever had an Angel watching over her, it's this kid!
DD practices pitching and hitting year round and the other pitcher doesn't touch a softball unless she has to. the other pitcher is no bigger than DD so it's not like she's bigger and stronger. with one of the worst (DBSF) swings on the team, she is probably leading the team in hitting, too. most hits are just hard enough to avoid the outstretched reach of an infielder.
this year DD had some mystery injury/illness (Costochondritis) that started about a month before preseason started. she was unable to practice, play or pitch in the preseason and had to ease back into it. first two games as DH she went 4 for 6 since then its been 3 for 28. There is a drama faction on the team that is loving this, which only makes it worse.
she is feeling better, good enough to play and defensively she's playing well. She pitched a few innings and did well and then pitched a full 7, 2-hit, "almost shutout" (but it was an easy team).
Now that we are halfway thru the season, I expect she will drop down to the lower half of the order and only get to pitch in the easy games.
I know she is trying to keep a strong face, but it's killing her inside. she has been one of the two best players on the team for the past two seasons, and now ....
the only way I can help her out of the hole is to stand back and support her, but I don't want to lie to her either.
any advice/recommendations you can offer is appreciated- thanks!