A message to coaches from a pitching instructor.

[CoachCeetar]

If we're just talking delivery and pitches, sure. that makes sense. If a pitcher is seeing a private PC, and you want her to learn a new pitch, just tell her so? If the coach feels that pitcher needs a new pitch, or one isn't working, that's his job right? Right or wrong, you can quibble with that for sure, especially if the results are in the girl's favor, but the team coach is the one that decides what is needed on the roster/rotation.

But other stuff, slight mechanical "flaws" or improvements, that stuff absolutely the coach has to be able to make without a "phone a friend" call to a private coach. If the coach sees a pitcher is flying open a bit, or not pushing off hard enough, or struggling with intense heat or something. There are all sorts of in-game/warmup situations that just don't arise in a more sterile practice/training environment.

That said, when in doubt, the pitcher is the one that is _doing it_. There are absolutely pitchers out there that can take a brief instruction from the coach on how to throw a new pitch, what it should do, etc, and then just..do it, without a 4-session intensive training session from their PC. Don't demand, but the team coach should be able to talk pitching with their pitchers without having to get it approved externally. The actual pitcher should be the one to decide what she wants to try, but should be empowered to say "that doesn't really work well with what I'm trying to work on right now" too.

 

[RADcatcher]

I let all softball students know that if their coach ever wants to contact me they are welcome to do so. It opens the door to communication. Over the years this approach has created good softball relationships. In many cases created a connection when coaches are looking for players.


There is definitely a difference of a coach who's understanding what a player is trying to do/ accomplish. versus
the type of coach that is trying to change mechanics of what a player is working on in their instruction.... and coach maybe unaware and uneducated in doing so.

 

[_MIA_]

Whatever happens the kids shouldn't be put in an uncomfortable situation through no fault of their own..adults need to adult...

 

[BucketDud]

If we're just talking delivery and pitches, sure. that makes sense. If a pitcher is seeing a private PC, and you want her to learn a new pitch, just tell her so? If the coach feels that pitcher needs a new pitch, or one isn't working, that's his job right? Right or wrong, you can quibble with that for sure, especially if the results are in the girl's favor, but the team coach is the one that decides what is needed on the roster/rotation.

But other stuff, slight mechanical "flaws" or improvements, that stuff absolutely the coach has to be able to make without a "phone a friend" call to a private coach. If the coach sees a pitcher is flying open a bit, or not pushing off hard enough, or struggling with intense heat or something. There are all sorts of in-game/warmup situations that just don't arise in a more sterile practice/training environment.

That said, when in doubt, the pitcher is the one that is _doing it_. There are absolutely pitchers out there that can take a brief instruction from the coach on how to throw a new pitch, what it should do, etc, and then just..do it, without a 4-session intensive training session from their PC. Don't demand, but the team coach should be able to talk pitching with their pitchers without having to get it approved externally. The actual pitcher should be the one to decide what she wants to try, but should be empowered to say "that doesn't really work well with what I'm trying to work on right now" too.

You are making a big assumption here that the coach actually understands what needs to be done. The quality of coaches in school ball varies so widely, and the biggest problem is most coaches don't realize where they fall on that spectrum.

Trying to change something for a pitcher days before the season opener, or even worse right before a game, because the 8th grade science teacher thought it would help doesn't seem like a great strategy.

 

[YoungBuck]

While I understand that the conditions in all areas of this country are not the same, in my area if you lose you get fired.

Definitely not true everywhere !

 

[Cannonball]

You are making a big assumption here that the coach actually understands what needs to be done. The quality of coaches in school ball varies so widely, and the biggest problem is most coaches don't realize where they fall on that spectrum.

Trying to change something for a pitcher days before the season opener, or even worse right before a game, because the 8th grade science teacher thought it would help doesn't seem like a great strategy.

With all due respect, the vast majority of these types of threads make the assumption that the HS coach doesn't know anything. I often wonder how many parents actually know the coaches accomplishments and resume.

I'll leave this thread after a couple of statements. First, if you don't like what the school coach is doing, take your child off of the team. I have never understood people complaining that the school coach doesn't know anything and then allowing their child to play for that coach. Secondly, for those who have their child nod and continue to do whatever it is that the coach does not like, accept that moment when your child falls out of favor with the coaching staff.

 

[RADcatcher]

I remember going and watching a tb team practice, team was recently formed, where one of the coaches was a pitcher herself. She had 5 pitchers on the field. Was having them work on throwing a certain pitch during the beginning of bullpen.

Each of the pitchers had their own instructor.
> Regardless of the results of the pitch...
The coach stopped all of them and said I want you to throw it like this... showing her mechanics and grip that she preferred.
As you may guess this turned out to be disaster as multiple of the pitchers ended up quitting the team.

That situation could have been handled in a much better way than demanding players do what one coach wanted and try to override what the players know they have been training on. And has been useful in their previous games experience.

Conversation can go a long way... it is a respectful approach.

 

[CoachCeetar]

You are making a big assumption here that the coach actually understands what needs to be done. The quality of coaches in school ball varies so widely, and the biggest problem is most coaches don't realize where they fall on that spectrum.

Trying to change something for a pitcher days before the season opener, or even worse right before a game, because the 8th grade science teacher thought it would help doesn't seem like a great strategy.

That's what it boils down to. If the coach knows what to do, and/or is a good coach, than what they say/ask/add is going to be valuable.

If they're not, no amount of scolding from the private pitching coach is gonna help anyway.

The pitcher that's actually throwing the pitches is the one that matters though.

 

[torpedo #8]

If we're just talking delivery and pitches, sure. that makes sense. If a pitcher is seeing a private PC, and you want her to learn a new pitch, just tell her so? If the coach feels that pitcher needs a new pitch, or one isn't working, that's his job right? Right or wrong, you can quibble with that for sure, especially if the results are in the girl's favor, but the team coach is the one that decides what is needed on the roster/rotation.

But other stuff, slight mechanical "flaws" or improvements, that stuff absolutely the coach has to be able to make without a "phone a friend" call to a private coach. If the coach sees a pitcher is flying open a bit, or not pushing off hard enough, or struggling with intense heat or something. There are all sorts of in-game/warmup situations that just don't arise in a more sterile practice/training environment.

That said, when in doubt, the pitcher is the one that is _doing it_. There are absolutely pitchers out there that can take a brief instruction from the coach on how to throw a new pitch, what it should do, etc, and then just..do it, without a 4-session intensive training session from their PC. Don't demand, but the team coach should be able to talk pitching with their pitchers without having to get it approved externally. The actual pitcher should be the one to decide what she wants to try, but should be empowered to say "that doesn't really work well with what I'm trying to work on right now" too.

I agree. It's funny how that works. How many head coaches in football will contact and outside coach about the quarterback or basketball about their shooting form? Why in the world should a head coach have to contact anyone at all? It's their team.

 

[RADcatcher]

The basic root of this discussion think is that team coaches should know if players have their own instructors and who those instructors are.

There can be valuable information in just knowing who the instructor is. In fact think it could even be important to bring up before deciding to join a team.

Conversations with players and can include instructors , can be sharing of knowledge to avoid further complications.