Frustration

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Nov 6, 2019
92
18
My daughter plays on a C class 12-u team. She is not the best player, and to be honest she is probably one of the lower ones right now. She is shy and not outspoken, she does not like to speak in a loud voice. We are working with her on that but its not something fixed quickly.

She will work hard, and she loves to bat. She goes to batting lessons 2 times a week and bats off the tee at the house on her own throughout the week.

She goes to pitching lesson twice a week from a former D-1 National champion pitcher. The lady knows her stuff and has successfully trained several college level pitchers.

Her pitching coach says she needs mound time, but I do not know how to get it for her. Her travel coach refuses to give her a shot on the mound in a pool game. Every time he looks at her pitching she is nervous and her arm circle slows down some, but she still throws strikes. Just does not have the speed she has in practice.

The travel coach will always pick up a player to pitch as we have 8-9 permanent girls on the team and only 1 bracket pitcher. One tournament he picked a 10 year old up to pitch, and she was inaccurate and slow, but he refuses to look at my kid.

Batting wise she hits well in practice and was doing OK in the games, not crushing the ball but making contact. Then the coach started calling bunts for her. Last tournament 5 out of 7 AB he called her a bunt. First bunt she popped the ball up and the catcher makes a dive across the plate as she is leaving the box and the umpire calls her for interference, a couple bunts later she popped it up again and she froze up and didn't know what to do, they got her out. The coaches lost their crap over this play and was chewing her out over it.

I guess we should just be thankful that she is on a travel team and she is improving every week but it is just frustrating.
 
Dec 26, 2017
487
63
Oklahoma
Something you might consider is looking for a rec team once league starts to get pitching time for, during the week. A lot of rec coaches would be more than happy to let her just show up and throw strikes, and her TB coaches shouldn't care, as long as she isn't missing TB practice/games.
 
Nov 19, 2017
5
3
I would move on. The coach seems to have decided her role on the team and is unwilling to look at her any other way.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
Time to move on to another team.

Probably, but not necessarily due to the coaches ... you need to find a team that is a better fit for your daughter’s personality and lack of confidence. @OsDad has a good suggestion ... maybe she needs to work a little more in rec ball where she (hopefully) feels less pressure.

Going to lessons, no matter how much they cost, does not make you a better player. It may make you a better technician, but it doesn’t make you a better player. She needs a place where she can play and play comfortably. Stop spending money on TB until she feels she is ready for it.
 
Nov 6, 2019
92
18
I would move on. The coach seems to have decided her role on the team and is unwilling to look at her any other way.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

We probably are, its just hard to find a team where we live. We are gonna keep her in it, as she improves more each week. Once league ball rolls around we will be entering her in league as a pitcher and hope she will get some time on the mound there to build her confidence up.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
You don't have to be grateful to be on a travel team....from everything you are describing I think the best thing for her would be to stick it out through fall ball and then find a good rec league that has All Star program that is fairly competitive, in other words she practices every day for 4 weeks straight in preparation for the All Star run.

I think your goal would be to have her be the #1 pitcher for her team, she should get 50% of all innings and in the top third of the batters where she is expected to get on base and drive in runs. She should make the All Star team and be the #1 or #2 pitcher and solid bat in the lineup.

Depending on what rec looks like in your area this may not be as easy as it sounds. Hopefully this can build confidence and maybe bring her out of her shell a little
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
My daughter plays on a C class 12-u team. She is not the best player, and to be honest she is probably one of the lower ones right now. She is shy and not outspoken, she does not like to speak in a loud voice. We are working with her on that but its not something fixed quickly.

She will work hard, and she loves to bat. She goes to batting lessons 2 times a week and bats off the tee at the house on her own throughout the week.

She goes to pitching lesson twice a week from a former D-1 National champion pitcher. The lady knows her stuff and has successfully trained several college level pitchers.

Her pitching coach says she needs mound time, but I do not know how to get it for her. Her travel coach refuses to give her a shot on the mound in a pool game. Every time he looks at her pitching she is nervous and her arm circle slows down some, but she still throws strikes. Just does not have the speed she has in practice.

The travel coach will always pick up a player to pitch as we have 8-9 permanent girls on the team and only 1 bracket pitcher. One tournament he picked a 10 year old up to pitch, and she was inaccurate and slow, but he refuses to look at my kid.

Batting wise she hits well in practice and was doing OK in the games, not crushing the ball but making contact. Then the coach started calling bunts for her. Last tournament 5 out of 7 AB he called her a bunt. First bunt she popped the ball up and the catcher makes a dive across the plate as she is leaving the box and the umpire calls her for interference, a couple bunts later she popped it up again and she froze up and didn't know what to do, they got her out. The coaches lost their crap over this play and was chewing her out over it.

I guess we should just be thankful that she is on a travel team and she is improving every week but it is just frustrating.
I highlighted the 3 things that stood out to me in your post. Not to be a jerk but to gove you some perspective on what the coach is probabaly also seeing if you as a parent are also seeing it. Since parents often see their own kids in the most favorable light.

You've admitted she's one of the less skilled on a 12C team but want her to get more time at the most important position even though she's looked tentitive every time he's looked her in practice?

As for hitting, you say "she is doing OK, making contact" is it mostly weak contact to the right side of the infield? Because most coaches will see that as little different that striking our routinely which may be the reason for the increased bunt calls.

One idea on pitching is have he ask if anybody wants to stay after practice for hitting practice while she pitches to them. If she does well she might get noticed by the coach for both her pitching and initiative.

But as others have said, don't be happy with the situation, you and your daughter either need to take steps to get noticed on this team or consider moving on to another. The idea of rec innings is also a good one.
 
Nov 11, 2019
105
28
My daughter was in the same position. We played a LL fall season that was mixed minor and major league. 9-12 yrs old. She outclassed most of these kids just from her experience on TB. But all we wanted was mound time. She was the only pitcher on the team and it did wonders for her. She pitched all season and it built her confidence tremendously. Now she is pitching more in TB. Rec league is an option
 
Nov 6, 2019
92
18
I highlighted the 3 things that stood out to me in your post. Not to be a jerk but to gove you some perspective on what the coach is probabaly also seeing if you as a parent are also seeing it. Since parents often see their own kids in the most favorable light.

You've admitted she's one of the less skilled on a 12C team but want her to get more time at the most important position even though she's looked tentitive every time he's looked her in practice?

As for hitting, you say "she is doing OK, making contact" is it mostly weak contact to the right side of the infield? Because most coaches will see that as little different that striking our routinely which may be the reason for the increased bunt calls.

One idea on pitching is have he ask if anybody wants to stay after practice for hitting practice while she pitches to them. If she does well she might get noticed by the coach for both her pitching and initiative.

But as others have said, don't be happy with the situation, you and your daughter either need to take steps to get noticed on this team or consider moving on to another. The idea of rec innings is also a good one.


I see my child how she is. Her mom thinks she is great and is being held back. I see her lack of confidence and hesitation. I see her potential and upside as well. She has a strong arm and is a fast learner, she needs experience.

You've admitted she's one of the less skilled on a 12C team but want her to get more time at the most important position even though she's looked tentitive every time he's looked her in practice?

I want her to get a chance at a pool game. We watched a 10 old bounce balls off the back stop for 3 innings I do not think this is un-reasonable.

Batting wise she was hitting balls to the middle of the field landing between the CF and second base. We faced a A class team with an ace pitcher and she was late with her swing, after that he started calling her to bunt most of her AB. This last tournament the two times he let her swing she hit grounders to first and SS.
 

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