HS pitching and parenting

GunnerShotgun said:

You keep talking about the "real world" and your version is not one I am familiar with. You are telling me that in a quality program pitchers are consulting parents and private pitching coaches during the game?

The pitchers on teams in my world are supported by coaches on the coaching staff during games.

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Not necessarily. But there is someone to help them if needed. No quality program leaves it up to a player to "figure it out". Unfortunately in the real world having a coach that knows squat about pitching and who can provide valuable insight is rare. If a coach is secure in their knowledge of the game they welcome the appropriate level of help, even during a game. They want the players and team to succeed. The coach is there to serve the team, not the other way around.

Time and time again I have observed that the level of control a coach exerts over a team in inversely proportionate to their knowledge of the game and their coaching ability.

riseball said:

Not necessarily. But there is someone to help them if needed. No quality program leaves it up to a player to "figure it out". Unfortunately in the real world having a coach that knows squat about pitching and who can provide valuable insight is rare. If a coach is secure in their knowledge of the game they welcome the appropriate level of help, even during a game. They want the players and team to succeed. The coach is there to serve the team, not the other way around.

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https://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/31215-coaches-virgil-earl-ir-pitcher.html#post431060

https://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/31215-coaches-virgil-earl-ir-pitcher.html#post431151

Don't worry, coaches, got one coming up about lousy parents.

As the dad of a pitcher, this may be one of my favorite threads. When DD first entered high school, it was my goal to be the dad that sat in a lawn chair somewhere between 3B and the LF fence. I did that her entire freshman year. The only time I would approach the dugout is if I was summoned by the coach. And then it was typically "can you grab your daughter another water please?" During her sophomore year I was asked to join the coaching staff. And while I initially resisted this, I reluctantly agreed. Now I do speak with DD constantly during the game, but I do not try to tinker with anything (pitching or hitting). In between innings I will often pull the pitcher and catcher both aside and ask them questions and offer some advice. What pitches are working? What pitches aren't working? How is the umpires zone? Do you think we can exploit the river? #4 hitter is coming up, try to attack her up and in... Etc. But I will rarely talk to DD about mechanics during a game, unless she asks me a question. So far during this high school season, that has occurred one time. It is definitely a fine line between supporting and smothering. I will admit that when DD was younger I was probably too involved in things. But I have learned my lesson over the years. She is a smart athlete that is capable of handling things on her own. She doesn't need my help. Although it does feel good when she asks

All I can say is thank god my daughter is not a pitcher. That's a whole other level of potential drama that neither of us need. That said, the advice/comments above are equally applicable to batting and fielding. On my daughter's HS team, many of the dads are also travel ball coaches. Couple that with fairly young and inexperienced high school coaches, and there is far too much unsolicited input from these "experts". As a travel coach myself, I am embarrassed for their daughters every time one of these yahoos opens his mouth. It's not that what they are saying is wrong (and often times it's right on), it's that they are saying it at all. I've come to an agreement with my own daughter that I will say nothing during the game (and try really really hard not to "coach through facial expressions") and afterwards limit comments to "Great game" or "nice hit" or "nice catch", etc. If she wants advice or help, she will ask. All bets are off during travel season, but high school season is for her to have fun and for me just sit and watch and enjoy. If nothing else, it will be good practice for next year when she's playing in college.

It's hard to watch and not help. We are dads..
I was pretty quite last year. Going to do the same this year.
Some parents stand at the rear of dug out to offer whispers
Of wisdom.

Most high school teams where I live have rules about leaving the dugout and communicating with people in the stands during games. It seems they are missing out on the symbiotic relationship of parent pitching/hitting guru and player.

I would love to see that in action though. Four coaches on the bench while the players stream in and out of the dugout to get tips on mechanics that absolutely couldn't wait until after the game to be discussed. That would be wild.

One of the reasons I love DFP, you learn something new everyday.

Doug Romrell said:

Odds are pretty low that a coach (HS or other) would give a fart what the pitcher's pitching coach (the person who likely knows the pitcher better than anyone) thinks or might have to say to help pitcher. Seems odd to me.

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..........

One of the hardest things to do is be a parent of the pitcher and sit back and just watch in most situations. We are there on that bucket catching her for years. We're shelling out the money for lessons. We're spending hours on DFP reading the I/R in the Classrooms thread 40 times to make sure we understand it all. We're shelling out the $$$ to travel from Indiana to NY for Spring Break to spend 4 days with javasource.

Some dude who is only going to spend 3 months a year with her thinks I should sit back and STFU? That's hard. I understand it and I will try my best, but man its hard.

JAD said:

Interesting perspective considering every P5 college team in the country has a pitching coach in the dugout....

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I would assume, at that level, that in-game adjustments focus upon specific plans of attacks against specific batters.
Pitch calling, location adjustments, mental game, and other strategy whatnot - not mechanical adjustments.

would you agree?

corlay said:

I would assume, at that level, that in-game adjustments focus upon specific plans of attacks against specific batters.
Pitch calling, location adjustments, mental game, and other strategy whatnot - not mechanical adjustments.

would you agree?

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No. It most definitely includes mechanical adjustments.