Go ahead..say "I told you so"

[Perfect Circle]

Sounds like a run of the mill scam for building pitching clientele. The new girls won't be quite good enough to not need lessons as well.... 2 for 1. The batting also is a good wrinkle. Pitchers work so hard on Pitching, that they always need batting lessons.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Well, hopefully he doesn't charge his players for pitching lessons, if he does - that is just wrong.

 

[PEPPERS]

Moral of the story is => Do your homework on the TB team and make sure your DD WILL be one of the two top pitchers on that team. Also one challenging season, and even two, will not ruin a girl that's motivated and has the skills.

Another suggestion is to make sure coaches’ daughter is not one of the pitchers!!!!

 

[Momo'sDad]

It isn't really a case of told you so. I was one of those who suggested it probably wasn't going to be a good fit, but it's not because I wanted to be right. Most of the people who post here are here to help one another, not win bar arguments. You did ask previously and it was suggested by most of us who responded that you help your DD find a 12u team since she's a '99, because she'd likely be low on the totem pole of a 14u team.

In-season player movement is pretty common out here, but I'm not sure about your area. It doesn't hurt to look for a new home, though. If she wants to pitch, however, then look for a team in NEED of pitching.

 

[Ade's Dad]

Put her on a team that needs her!

 

[JAD]

If your DD is a pitcher you need to get her on the best team you can, provided she will be the #1 or #2 pitcher. Being on a higher level team where she is a #3 or #4 pitcher WILL NOT be as beneficial as the mound time she will get as the #1 or #2......just my $0.02!

 

[Steve Huff]

Well, the honeymoon period is over, and DD isn't getting the playing time/pitching time. Even in honeymoon period, I knew it was coming. DD had a great experience being with the older team these last 2-3 months, but with the last 3-4 tournaments, she hasn't gotten a lot of pitching time...sometimes none. Sunday was the last tournament, and we had 2 new pitchers show up...I saw the writing on the wall then because they were older, more experienced and pretty good. So coach approached us last night before her lessons (he's her pitching/hitting coach too)...said that if she wanted to pick up with another team, he would be okay with that...encouraged her to do whatever she could to get more mound time, but that she would get very little from here on out due to the new players getting more time. He also said that if she found another team as a bracket pitcher, his feelings would not be hurt. He's looking out for her more than anything, and he wants her to pitch...just not with his older team. He said that he isn't trying to run her off the team or anything like that, he just knows that she wants to pitch and he's giving her the way out so to speak. He said that she is going to be a GREAT pitcher...with more mound time. He even said that he would give her a good reference. So...with that said, we are in the middle of April looking for a team...in her age group. I am so ashamed as a parent, and I really wish that I had the brains enough to know better before joining this team. And now my dd is hurting (she won't admit it tho).

So here we go again...

What you have here is a coach who is a recruiter first, coach second. And no I won't be nicer. When he recruited her was it to fill the roster? Was it to complete the budget (balance sheet). He asked you for a commitment, which you made. He just wasn't making the same commitment, unless you consider splinters a commitment! I have coached at high levels, and rec levels. I just don't accept this mindset as being good for the game, and terrible for kids. If winning for him is more important than his commitment to your DD, then you know all you need to know about him as a man. Don't buy a car from him; his written warranty might not even be any good!

 

[maksoftball]

Wow...I am surprised at the attack on her coach. He was her pitching/hitting coach for over a year before he even suggested trying out. And he had no say-so whatsoever in her recruitment...he left it up to the other 3 coaches so as to not influence the decision (did not want it to be biased at all). 2 of these 3 coaches have said the same thing as he did...she has a great future ahead of her. Anyhow, he is a grandfather type guy...he loves the sport and loves the girls that share his passion for the sport. From the very beginning (when we started lessons with him), he has always been about the development of skills than he has about winning. However, I totally understand where he is coming from...the girls play better behind a stronger pitcher. DD is 2 years behind these pitchers, and still has a lot of mental/technique skills to develop...and with more mound time, she will get there.

Sorry, I just felt like I had to defend him. LOL. He's really a great guy, and he in no way pushed her away from his team...but rather wants her to grow/develop at her own pace with girls her age...rather than try to feel pressured into catching up with girls 1-2 years ahead of her. I truly do believe that he cares for her. Not sure what else to say except that we are still friends. We'll see.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Wow...I am surprised at the attack on her coach. He was her pitching/hitting coach for over a year before he even suggested trying out. And he had no say-so whatsoever in her recruitment...he left it up to the other 3 coaches so as to not influence the decision (did not want it to be biased at all). 2 of these 3 coaches have said the same thing as he did...she has a great future ahead of her. Anyhow, he is a grandfather type guy...he loves the sport and loves the girls that share his passion for the sport. From the very beginning (when we started lessons with him), he has always been about the development of skills than he has about winning. However, I totally understand where he is coming from...the girls play better behind a stronger pitcher. DD is 2 years behind these pitchers, and still has a lot of mental/technique skills to develop...and with more mound time, she will get there.

Sorry, I just felt like I had to defend him. LOL. He's really a great guy, and he in no way pushed her away from his team...but rather wants her to grow/develop at her own pace with girls her age...rather than try to feel pressured into catching up with girls 1-2 years ahead of her. I truly do believe that he cares for her. Not sure what else to say except that we are still friends. We'll see.

Given this, it sounds like PC deserves a reprieve. As long as he made it clear what you were headed into in advance, and you believe he knows what he's teaching and has her best interests in mind, then I wouldn't have a problem sticking with him.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

All this reminds me of everyone saying "your DD should move up" times 100. And I'm talking about pitchers in general when I say that.

If you have good TB competition in your area, and plans to go medium distances to get in better tourneys, there is no need to move up.

If a DD is blowing away the comp at 12-14U ( every tourney ) then that tells me one of 2 things.
A. She is the next Finch, Osterman, Abbott.
B. The comp you are playing is weak.

We have an article in the paper this week about a local pitcher. It goes on and on about her record and strikeouts, yada yada. What it doesn't say is she plays for a private single A "minor" school. They have zero competition, and I mean zero. They have a free cake walk to state every year. We invited them last weekend to play in a fundraiser HS tourney up the road ( 10 schools ). They declined and played in a weak 4 school tournament and couldn't even win that one. I don't mind a player getting some ink, but lets put the whole truth in the article.

I always tell people to stay in their age group, you'll get the experience if you have/find good comp, and 16/18U will be there before you know it.