10u pitcher throws 4 straight games

[coach james]

My 10 year old pitching student was asked to fill in at a tourney with a tb team. She agreed thinking she may get an inning or two. She had no idea she was there to pitch all four games today. Apparently, she only walked 6 on the day... don't know about the K's... I'm concerned about the fact she literally just turned 10 and threw approx 400 pitches today between games and warm ups. Does any one else see an issue here?

 

[sluggers]

Some idiot coach who wasn't worried about killing her...

 

[CLM265]

Way to much pitching in a day for a 9 just turned 10 and what about tomorrow? It makes you wonder what happened earlier in the year with the pitchers that they had.

 

[TimothyJ]

Some idiot coach who wasn't worried about killing her...

And parents

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Oh, no. Reminds me of when my nephew told me that his DD caught all 5 games, that day.

 

[riseball]

The ultimate responsibility is with the parents. Some parents have a clue and take care of their kids, others don't get it. Would still prefer this situation over arbitrary pitch counts.

 

[FastPitchCat]

The ultimate responsibility is with the parents. Some parents have a clue and take care of their kids, others don't get it. Would still prefer this situation over arbitrary pitch counts.

As a parent, i'd be concerned about that many pitches. but i think the coach should have been forthright at the beginning on how many games he intends to use DD as pitcher or catcher.

was he?

 

[riseball]

Let's assume that the coach did not explain she would be pitching every game. So what? Did the parent(s) ask? Why did they sit back and let it happen? Did the PC ever have a discussion with the parents regarding suggested limits for the player? If so why did they throw that advice to the wind? While it is easy to blame the coach, in the end it is up to the parents to be parents. But it is easier to do nothing, whine after the fact, then lay blame elsewhere than to be accountable as a parent. IMO any parent that entrusts a coach, any coach with the safety and welfare of their minor child is a moron.

 

[coach james]

I've talked to the girls mom today and she filled me in. The HC is a young girl approx 20-21 years old and was a pitcher herself and knew better!
She started "Sally" the first game but went with another kid to start the second. However the other pitcher walked or hit every batter so in came #3... no change. So here came Sally again to finish a lost cause of a game. This cycle repeated its self in the third game. By the forth game, Sally started and finished with no walks and got the win. Mom said she was asleep in the car before they left the parking lot last night. Got there this morn and Sally started again. Played two games today. Won the first 3-0 and lost the second 13-0, which was the second bracket loss.
Its estimated that Sally threw over 600 pitches this weekend. Mom called me concerned for Sally's wellbeing... I was adamant that she speak up and remove Sally from the circle herself. By that time today they were in the bottom of the fifth in a 13-0 score...game was over. She is the tiniest kid you'll see. She's only 4' tall and about 75lbs... she throws consistently about 38-39 mph and very accurate when she's healthy. Throws a feathered fastball (small screwball movement), Peel drop, and a great change up. By the second game today mom said she was only averaging about 31mph with no calls of a Peel or change??? She was exhausted in every sense of the word. The defence was as bad as you'll ever see. They depended on Sally to produce every single out via the strike out. I told her mom to not let her pick up a ball for three or four days and when this team calls back, she needs to tell this new HC to kiss her @zz! And to loose this number!

 

[Lsjames]

I the head coach of a teavel team. I would love to say that I have not seen this before, but I have, too often. The HC was probably very nice to the parent and seemed to have Sally's best interest in mind. Mom probably saw the pitiful team struggling pitching and fielding and felt as if she would be letting the team down if she pulled Sally. So mom and Sally are likely not to say anything because they are team players.
I have coached at the 3a high school level and tee ball and every level between for 11years. I'm a teacher and the parent of four beautiful young ladies. As a coach I believe that you simply have to have better ethics than this. Great players want the ball when the game is on. A great coach knows when to protect the player and parents from themselves. Good coaches are coaches to teach life skills, help girls improve their softball skills, and to see and feel the joy of the game. If a coach is out there for wins and losses then their heart is in the wrong place.
I have always believed that I coach the child first and the game second. I have coached teams who have only lost two games all year and teams who only won three. At the end of the year I ask myself, did the girls grow as young ladies and athletes? If the answer is yes then the year was a success. A coaches ego should not be attached to a W-L record, because at the end of the day, no matter how excited the parents, players, and coaches get about winning, it's just a game played by little girls with a bat and a ball. Winning and losing is only a matter of perspective.