DD started pitching at 9yo. Not a ton of competition in town so she has always been a bit of a hotshot locally. Has played three years of club ball at 10u/12u/12u. Has always been in the rotation as the #1-#3 pitcher. She has excellent control and throws offspeed well, but she is not the fastest (low 50s, teammates throw mid 50s) She is now heading into 8th grade and 14U softball. In both our local high school and the magnet high school she may apply to, there is a very high probability she will see quality circle time her freshman year if she continues to improve.
But this year has been a bust for her athletically. Her club team that she has been with for three years hired a new coach who just never took a shine to her. Despite never having a poor outing, she slid down to #3/4 in the rotation often behind a girl who is taking lessons from the coach She's inarguably the best hitter on the team but coach would bat her in the bottom of the lineup. We are obviously leaving this team, but she saw out her commitment to the team and I think that took a toll on her emotionally. She perked up on days when tourneys got rained out.
Independently of this, she grew to really dislike her pitching coach and did not want to go to pitching lessons anymore. PC is not a genius -- lots of HE, slam the door, etc. -- so no great loss there.
Now here we are at the end of the year looking for a new club team and a new pitching coach and DD's enthusiasm is at an all-time low. She's not pitching great right now and has no motivation to practice. I ask her if she just wants to hang it up and she says no, but I sometimes think that she is just telling me what i want to hear. She hasn't really improved in the past 12 months while the other pitchers have and I am worried that burnout is on the horizon.
I should also mention that I do not push very hard at all. I stopped coaching her teams years ago and try to stay out of her way. She claims she prefers this but I do sometimes wonder if maybe I am too "hands off" and that she thinks I am not really interested. She has a younger sister who has started to really take off as a pitcher and a player and who wants me involved with her team so the sister gets much more of my attention.
She is trying out for club teams and everyone wants her (there are better pitchers out there, but she's good enough and there are very few better hitters.) But I feel like this year is make or break for her -- she needs to have a more positive experience or she's going to hang it up.
If you have been through this with your kid, would love to hear your experiences and any advice. I will find another PC -- there is one she has seen from time to time that she seems to like --- but trying to figure out what is the best club situation for her. I feel like she is supposed to go to a team that plays at the highest level possible and really push her, but I am worried that this could backfire given where she is at emotionally. Wondering if maybe a year being the #1 on a B level team might not be a bad thing for her to get her mojo back. But the then I worry that might set her up for another plateau year like the last one.
Sometimes I think maybe she should take some time off from club ball altogether, but don't see how she will be ready for her freshman year if she does that.
Then other times I think this is supposed to be fun and if it is not, maybe it is time to switch to volleyball.....
Appreciate any thoughts or advice!
But this year has been a bust for her athletically. Her club team that she has been with for three years hired a new coach who just never took a shine to her. Despite never having a poor outing, she slid down to #3/4 in the rotation often behind a girl who is taking lessons from the coach She's inarguably the best hitter on the team but coach would bat her in the bottom of the lineup. We are obviously leaving this team, but she saw out her commitment to the team and I think that took a toll on her emotionally. She perked up on days when tourneys got rained out.
Independently of this, she grew to really dislike her pitching coach and did not want to go to pitching lessons anymore. PC is not a genius -- lots of HE, slam the door, etc. -- so no great loss there.
Now here we are at the end of the year looking for a new club team and a new pitching coach and DD's enthusiasm is at an all-time low. She's not pitching great right now and has no motivation to practice. I ask her if she just wants to hang it up and she says no, but I sometimes think that she is just telling me what i want to hear. She hasn't really improved in the past 12 months while the other pitchers have and I am worried that burnout is on the horizon.
I should also mention that I do not push very hard at all. I stopped coaching her teams years ago and try to stay out of her way. She claims she prefers this but I do sometimes wonder if maybe I am too "hands off" and that she thinks I am not really interested. She has a younger sister who has started to really take off as a pitcher and a player and who wants me involved with her team so the sister gets much more of my attention.
She is trying out for club teams and everyone wants her (there are better pitchers out there, but she's good enough and there are very few better hitters.) But I feel like this year is make or break for her -- she needs to have a more positive experience or she's going to hang it up.
If you have been through this with your kid, would love to hear your experiences and any advice. I will find another PC -- there is one she has seen from time to time that she seems to like --- but trying to figure out what is the best club situation for her. I feel like she is supposed to go to a team that plays at the highest level possible and really push her, but I am worried that this could backfire given where she is at emotionally. Wondering if maybe a year being the #1 on a B level team might not be a bad thing for her to get her mojo back. But the then I worry that might set her up for another plateau year like the last one.
Sometimes I think maybe she should take some time off from club ball altogether, but don't see how she will be ready for her freshman year if she does that.
Then other times I think this is supposed to be fun and if it is not, maybe it is time to switch to volleyball.....
Appreciate any thoughts or advice!