Advice needed

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camibrian

Sponge of knowledge
Jun 2, 2016
22
0
Southern Arizona
DD has recently started participating with the only 10U travel ball team within our area. The coach is adamant that she learn to pitch her (HE/slam that door) way since she was a college pitcher, knows what she is doing, coached many girls, been doing it for 20+ years, blah blah blah. Recently DD was warming up with her and the feedback was immediately "close your hips". I stated that she doesn't pitch that way. DD was abruptly removed from warming up and sent out to do other softball activities instead. Since that time, DD has not even been looked at to pitch at practice.

What can I do? I know she isn't going to get any better if she isn't working on it, but there are no other options in this area.


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May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Are you paying for a pitching instructor outside of the team? If so, try approaching it from a point of not wanting to confuse your DD with instruction that may be contradictory to what she is being taught by her PI. If you are her PI, that's probably going to be a tougher sell. You could also bring up the point that the top pitchers in the game do not pitch the way she is asking your DD to pitch. However, this might ruffle her feathers a bit.

Good luck.
 
Nov 18, 2015
1,585
113
Or try asking if she has video of when she used to pitch, b/c to you it looks like she’s showing a slightly different style than the college pitchers you saw on TV last year (or this year, I guess, since I think the season started?)

Probably doesn’t have any video if it was 20 years ago, but worth a shot. Or maybe ask if there’s a college pitcher she knows of today who would be a good one to emulate.


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Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
Unfortunately, you may have to be willing to travel a little further than you'd like in order to get on a team that will help her grow, and won't try to change her to outdated mechanics.

If that's not a possibility, you're probably stuck with either going with what the coach wants or starting your own team.
 
Jul 14, 2017
181
28
DD has recently started participating with the only 10U travel ball team within our area. The coach is adamant that she learn to pitch her (HE/slam that door) way since she was a college pitcher, knows what she is doing, coached many girls, been doing it for 20+ years, blah blah blah. Recently DD was warming up with her and the feedback was immediately "close your hips". I stated that she doesn't pitch that way. DD was abruptly removed from warming up and sent out to do other softball activities instead. Since that time, DD has not even been looked at to pitch at practice.

What can I do? I know she isn't going to get any better if she isn't working on it, but there are no other options in this area.


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In all honesty my dd is not a pitcher, nor do I really have any insight on pitching. However, from your post I am going to assume that you don’t fully trust or buy in to your dd’s coach. Your comment to her not only undermined her experience and authority, you also are saying that your dd is not coachable or open to instruction. (Even if that wasn’t your intention). The coach probably feels that it would be easier to develop other girls than argue with you.


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camibrian

Sponge of knowledge
Jun 2, 2016
22
0
Southern Arizona
Are you paying for a pitching instructor outside of the team? If so, try approaching it from a point of not wanting to confuse your DD with instruction that may be contradictory to what she is being taught by her PI. If you are her PI, that's probably going to be a tougher sell. You could also bring up the point that the top pitchers in the game do not pitch the way she is asking your DD to pitch. However, this might ruffle her feathers a bit.

Good luck.

At the moment, I am her PI. Closest PI that teaches I/R is hours away and until I have a firm grasp on if DD is going to stay interested in softball, I really am hesitant to spend the money to drive for instruction. I know that probably sounds horrible, but DD hasn't even thrown a pitch in a live game yet and her interest in pitching may change when put into pressure situations.

As for ruffling feathers, I have intentionally attempted to keep my comments to myself out of fear of being removed from the only team we have.


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camibrian

Sponge of knowledge
Jun 2, 2016
22
0
Southern Arizona
Unfortunately, you may have to be willing to travel a little further than you'd like in order to get on a team that will help her grow, and won't try to change her to outdated mechanics.

If that's not a possibility, you're probably stuck with either going with what the coach wants or starting your own team.

Definitely willing to travel a little further, unfortunately the closest 10U teams I have found are 3+ hours away. That may be a little further than is feasible.

I definitely have thought about starting my own team and will be attempting to gauge interest during our rec ball league to see if I can find enough to fill out a team.

Thanks for your input


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Apr 6, 2017
328
28
I’d keep her throwing at home until rec league starts the give it a go.
Going to have to have some thick skin/ you and her. Even a coach that says
he isn’t a Pitching coach will throw in his 2 cents from time to time.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
She doesn't need to be on a travel team at 10U to be successful later. She just needs to pitch in games. And since she's just starting out, she probably won't blow away the competition immediately (if she does, great!). I don't say that to insult her, just saying that I don't think she'll get bored against rec league players.

Others will correct me if I'm wrong, but pitching as much as possible (not overuse) and developing good mechanics are much MUCH more important than being on a travel team at her age.
 

shaker1

Softball Junkie
Dec 4, 2014
894
18
On a bucket
Read the sticky's, work on mechanics, post a video. Learn to pitch. Your dd is better off learning the correct way the 1st time around. All teams need good pitching!
 

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