Pitching is a specialty that requires a coach who understands it. I've seen coaches who don't have a clue about it. I agree with your opinion on school sports, but if the school coach can't provide the level of instruction needed for a pitcher to be successful, he/she is hurting the team by not allowing the pitcher to get that instruction. One day a week is not too much to ask. It's really not different than a school coach who can teach pitching taking the pitcher aside one day a week in a school practice for individual instruction that does not apply for position players.
Should she give up school ball?
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Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
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This isn't just about one player. If one is allowed to miss to go to their private coach for whatever, then you'll have an entire team doing it for pitching, hitting, fielding, ...
if the entire team is actually doing that, I would think the team would definitely be getting better quicker than with just team practices. if I was HC and entire team took individual lessons, I would count my lucky stars, but maybe designate one or two days a week that everyone must there to work on situations, etc.
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Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
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If you were a HC you would be fired when your team couldn't function as a team due to a lack of having team practices if they all were allowed to do their individual stuff and practice with the team on their terms.. JMHO!
An example of what we did yesterday.
I ran the hitting and did team and individual work.
Our OF took balls off of a machine and off of a bat. A coach was there for all of this hitting the live ball.
Our IF did individual position work, took balls in infield, and then did some situational work fielding bunts and doing bunt responsibility.
Our catchers did individual work with a coach who holds several college records at her former college. Then they jumped in to do the bunt work.
Our pitchers worked with our pitching coach who holds several records at her former college.
An example of what we did yesterday.
I ran the hitting and did team and individual work.
Our OF took balls off of a machine and off of a bat. A coach was there for all of this hitting the live ball.
Our IF did individual position work, took balls in infield, and then did some situational work fielding bunts and doing bunt responsibility.
Our catchers did individual work with a coach who holds several college records at her former college. Then they jumped in to do the bunt work.
Our pitchers worked with our pitching coach who holds several records at her former college.
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I'd probably agree. Not sure what y'alls private coaching sessions are like, but my DD pays about $60 for 30 minutes. Lol. That's for a 1 on 1 hitting lesson with about 10 minutes of live pitching at the end from a college pitcher. Expensive and I love the live pitching, but that is definitely not a replacement for 3 hours of all around field practice.
-doubt very many HS teams practice for 3 hours during school year, at least around here, 2 is more the norm.
-if lesson is only 30 minutes, I would expect player to be at some portion (beginning, end) of practice. DDs lessons are 60 minutes, half hitting, the other half catching or other defensive work
-you are going to have MOST of the team their every day. this also gives backups an opportunity to take some reps in situational field work, rather than just starter at every position getting vast majority
yes hitting is practiced in team practices, but no way any coach at most HS practices is giving the detailed individualized instruction that most batters need to truly excel.
and most schools are not fortunate enough to have experts in particular skills on the coaching staff. the pitchers will NOT get the instuction they need at most schools practices.
I simply said one day where no one is excused for lessons, ie schedule your lessons around that designated day, because yes, they do need to work as a team. they should also learn to work when starting SS is not theree because of college visit, injury, etc.
-if lesson is only 30 minutes, I would expect player to be at some portion (beginning, end) of practice. DDs lessons are 60 minutes, half hitting, the other half catching or other defensive work
-you are going to have MOST of the team their every day. this also gives backups an opportunity to take some reps in situational field work, rather than just starter at every position getting vast majority
yes hitting is practiced in team practices, but no way any coach at most HS practices is giving the detailed individualized instruction that most batters need to truly excel.
and most schools are not fortunate enough to have experts in particular skills on the coaching staff. the pitchers will NOT get the instuction they need at most schools practices.
I simply said one day where no one is excused for lessons, ie schedule your lessons around that designated day, because yes, they do need to work as a team. they should also learn to work when starting SS is not theree because of college visit, injury, etc.
Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
- 4,883
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@bmakj, you are right and i should know to stay out of these type threads. Have a great day.
- Jan 22, 2011
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@Cannonball I appreciate your wisdom on these threads. Facing some similar issues on my DD's HS team this year. We are cutting them a little slack because of COVID we are glad to be having a season. Next year expectations will be set at beginning of season school ball is the first priority.
PS- On middle school ball about 7 years ago there was a player whose parents were convinced that Mike White was going to sign her at Oregon, so they wanted her to go to her club practices. She was told to choose. Life is about choices. She isn't playing in a P5 conference, pretty sure she's at a JUCO and recovering from injuries.
PS- On middle school ball about 7 years ago there was a player whose parents were convinced that Mike White was going to sign her at Oregon, so they wanted her to go to her club practices. She was told to choose. Life is about choices. She isn't playing in a P5 conference, pretty sure she's at a JUCO and recovering from injuries.
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You coach a middle school team and get all that help?
I just started umpiring middle school games and I’ve found that only a few girls on each team play travel, and some girls never played at all. And half those coaches never coached before ( with one female coach never played softball), do if I was a coach who had players seeing hitting and pitching coaches, I’d be good with that, more time to help the girls who really need it.
And what if you didn't have your own pitching coach? Would the pitchers just sit there and hope that they learned how to do it by watching the clouds go by? Of course not. I'm sure you would let them work with a coach who would help them improve (and improve the team in the process) on a regular basis.
