As a dad of a 10YO who pitches i realized that i was pushing too hard doing 3 days a week. 4-5 is a bit much. I backed way off and made it fun. I ask her if she wants me to sit on the bucket and if she says yes, i do. If not we go kayaking or something along those lines. It's hard not to get wrapped up in softball, especially pitching, but end of the day a 10YO is a 10YO.
10YR Old Ready To Shut-it Down
- Thread starter tbennett
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I would suggest some anger management for yourself but that would probably piss you off as well....
That isn't the point. Dragging 12U, 10U and 8U kids off to some god forsaken dog run 40 weekends out of the year is pretty ridiculous.
Kids need to be exposed to the arts, science and sports. (Guess what? A kid can "push their limits" just as much playing a trombone as fielding a softball.)
The greatest line in a sports movie is, "If I'd only gotten to be a doctor for five minutes... now that would have been a tragedy." How can the child discover if she is a concert pianist? Or a brain surgeon? Or a physicist? Or an actor? How can she discover her talents?
For 99% of the girls, softball ends at 22YOA. And, unlike other sports, when fastpitch softball ends...it ENDS. Then, the kid has to get on with her life.
There was another parent I got into the same debate. His DD became a super softball player, much better than my kid. She got a scholarship to a PAC 10 school...she lasted one year and moved home.
You have to let the kids see what else is out there, and what else they can do. Once a kid gets an idea about what is available, and then she picks softball...great! If not, life goes on.
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Anger management?? Umm...whatever. I'm not angry. Frustrated about a particular point? Yes. Angry? No. Not even close - LOL.
I didn't read every response in the thread, but this struck me right away. No way in he** should a 10U player be stuck with pitching only. She needs to play other positions, as well as practice other positions. No wonder she's "bored with softball and bored with pitching". And no, as has been stated already, time off will not cause her pitching to fall off. It's 10U, let her be 10.
I don't disagree with this at all, sluggers. I never intended to imply that softball is the only place my DD (or anyone's DD) can push her limits. I've spent time as a competitive athlete and a performing musician. I'm certainly aware that there are lots of places and directions one can challenge themselves. This is a softball site, so we tend to talk about softball, and what our kids do on the field. For a lot DFP'ers, softball is a place where our DDs have shown an heightened level of skill and interest. Just because that's all I tend to talk about on DFP doesn't mean that's all that my DD does. She loves to compete. She's a natural athlete, and would probably be good at lots of sports, but she fell in love with softball and wants to see how good she can be in that arena. I see nothing wrong with that, and will be there to assist her as long as she still wants to pursue it. If she decides to go after something else, I will be there to support that, too. She also loves music (spent a little time with piano and flute, fooling around with drums, just starting school vocals), and is figuring out how to do some new tricks on her skateboard. She enjoys writing and science. She's ahead of the curve with math...but doesn't really enjoy it. So far, nothing has attracted her passion as much as softball. I made it clear to both of my DDs from an early age - if they decide they want to do an activity (sports, music, dance, whatever), I will support it, and my willingness to buy good gear, provide private instruction, etc. will be a direct reflection of how much effort they put into the activity.
- Jan 14, 2015
- 95
- 0
To the OP. Recognize that softball has become "work" for your daughter, and at 10yo it should not be, so it needs to be fixed.
There are a couple of requirements for a young player to develop, one of those requirements is enjoyment and genuine happiness while playing; whether it's a sport or a particular class in school. When you genuinely enjoy what your doing or studying you will perform and develop much easier than if it's a chore. Somewhere along the line softball became a chore to her, it became too much to a point it felt like work, and "work" is a 4-letter word.
Use this experience to educate your daughter about how things like this can happen in life. Sometimes you set goals for the future, you put a plan in place and somewhere along the way it goes awry, and you end up in an unpredictable situation. No biggie. Teach her not to focus on what went wrong, but how to fix the situation and keep moving forward. Explain to her that it's important to try and keep the commitment to fall ball as part of that plan. Also, explain to her she is too young to quit on softball, or anything in life. She has a natural talent and ability to pitch, don't let her give up on it. Talk with her about a more natural year-round program that will help her develop, while still being 10 years old, 11 years old, 12 years old, etc.
My daughter was a pitcher, and I think there are a few parents on here with DD's that pitch too. All of us will tell you different schedules we maintained over each 12 months rotation. But the one thing in common we all had, was that the schedule was one our daughter could handle and enjoyed; and quite often it was modified from one year to another to accommodate school and social life.
What you're dealing with is pretty normal, it's Life, Life happens! For all we know she wants to stay your little girl, and maybe she feels that is slipping away. Forget about the past, focus on now and beyond.
Hope all turns out well.
There are a couple of requirements for a young player to develop, one of those requirements is enjoyment and genuine happiness while playing; whether it's a sport or a particular class in school. When you genuinely enjoy what your doing or studying you will perform and develop much easier than if it's a chore. Somewhere along the line softball became a chore to her, it became too much to a point it felt like work, and "work" is a 4-letter word.
Use this experience to educate your daughter about how things like this can happen in life. Sometimes you set goals for the future, you put a plan in place and somewhere along the way it goes awry, and you end up in an unpredictable situation. No biggie. Teach her not to focus on what went wrong, but how to fix the situation and keep moving forward. Explain to her that it's important to try and keep the commitment to fall ball as part of that plan. Also, explain to her she is too young to quit on softball, or anything in life. She has a natural talent and ability to pitch, don't let her give up on it. Talk with her about a more natural year-round program that will help her develop, while still being 10 years old, 11 years old, 12 years old, etc.
My daughter was a pitcher, and I think there are a few parents on here with DD's that pitch too. All of us will tell you different schedules we maintained over each 12 months rotation. But the one thing in common we all had, was that the schedule was one our daughter could handle and enjoyed; and quite often it was modified from one year to another to accommodate school and social life.
What you're dealing with is pretty normal, it's Life, Life happens! For all we know she wants to stay your little girl, and maybe she feels that is slipping away. Forget about the past, focus on now and beyond.
Hope all turns out well.
You are a role model...that is the way people should approach sports. It is so easy sucked into any of these sports. Everyone thinks there child is the second-coming of Jenny Finch, and it is very unlikely it is going to happen.
My DD#1, believe it or not, was a really fine clarinetist. In HS, she couldn't be "really good" at the clarinet and softball. She cut back on the clarinet, but continued to play through HS. She focused on softball. She still loves music.
I have no desire for my DD to become the "next Jennie Finch". Jennie Finch wasn't a catcher
I'm not surprised at all. Understanding the effort and work ethic it takes to get better at something carries over to many, many different parts of life. It's one of the great lessons that comes with pursuing activities at an advanced level.
- Dec 27, 2014
- 311
- 18
To the OP, good luck! I know as the bucket dad of my 10 year old there are few things I enjoy as much as catching her or watching her compete at lessons, with team mates and at games. As good as she is, at 10, I don't have any expectations she will play in college, or even how long she plays for. I just try to stress the lessons learned in the game can be transferred to all walks of life - even for a 10 year old.
Still, I find myself pushing too hard sometimes. Is too easy to get caught up with looking at how far she has come, and want more. I know a lot of parents that get too caught up. Most of us are able to learn, evolve our expectations to be in line with what is best for our particular kids.
Good luck!
Still, I find myself pushing too hard sometimes. Is too easy to get caught up with looking at how far she has come, and want more. I know a lot of parents that get too caught up. Most of us are able to learn, evolve our expectations to be in line with what is best for our particular kids.
Good luck!
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