Catching for my kid

[DonnieS]

I'm about ready to spend the $$ and acquire catchers gear. DD does not yet throw the rise ball, but when the velocity is where it is supposed to be the fastballs rotate, hop and move due to the spin on the ball. I need to pay close attention.

The thing to remember is being a bucket dad, is that everyday we get older, slower, and lose a little more of our reflexes and everyday our dds get stronger, faster, and meaner. I have found that whats the worst situation is when you go away on business for a while, then come back, and you are tired and you have forgotten or the last bruises have healed - and again, dd has gotten stronger - you go out to work with her, and bam. And she comes up and says 'oh daddy, i'm sorry, i feel so bad for you.' You pick your gear, limp in to the house, find the ice pack, and dd is already on facebook or myspace braggin how she nailed dad's butt again. Evil.

 

[2bucketdad]

Drop curve right off the end of my big toe two days later no toe nail, less than a year later dd number 2 same pitch same big toe no nail...I would gladly take ten off the shin instead of one off the end of the big toe!

 

[DonnieS]

Drop curve right off the end of my big toe two days later no toe nail, less than a year later dd number 2 same pitch same big toe no nail...I would gladly take ten off the shin instead of one off the end of the big toe!

Do you ever wonder if there is a laser designator on our toes - like the military uses for its targets? But here's an inexpensive solution for this - I found steel toe tennis shoes at walmart - for about 30 bucks. And they had Size 13s - they look pretty much like a regular running shoe but of course they are quite heavy. If you wear them, and I highly recommend them, keep your feet flat when she is pitching, about a week after I got the shoes, 2 weeks after she broke 2 of my toes, she threw a low fast ball. I pulled my foot back, the ball hit the end of the steel tip and bent it in - just enough to hit the broken toe. I bent the thing out with some pliers - but just keeping my foot level - the ball would have hit the foot and the steel toe head on - would have hurt the broke toes but nothing else. And of course I wouldnt have broke toes if I had known about and bought those shoes earlier.

 

[Coach JV]

So, I gather everyone is aware of how long it takes for a bone bruise to heal at age 50. I had one on the inside of
my ankle for the entire summer last year. It only was sore every time I put on a sock. Funny thing about rogue pitches,
they always hit just off the edge of the shin guards. I never realized that we were also dealing with laser target technology......

 

[travelingman]

I've enjoyed reading and learning from the forums for the past six months. I finally decided today to register today. I knew exactly which post to reply to first. Donnie, your original post was excellent. The time I have been able to spend with my sixteen year old the previous years in the name of softball has been a tremendous blessing in my life and I look forward to every remaining minute. I would join in on the shin guard conversations but since I've not given in yet to buying any, I'll leave now and take some advil for my shin.

 

[Jojo]

Oh those were the days............: ) I remember the first hit I got was when my DD was about 11. The ball just scraped the inside of my right calf. Somehow it managed to break every blood vessel and the blood began to pool into my calf. By the next day I had a sack of blood hanging from calf. It took an entire year to heal completely.

One day when she was home from college on summer break, I went to get my shin guards out of the car and found only 1!
I panicked and looked to the sky for some kind of sign from the almighty and without receiving one, just did the ol favorite and played eeny meeny miney mo!

 

[jofus13]

Yeah, the first good one I took to the shin was a couple years ago. My DD said "Gee dad, it was just a changeup...."

It left a dent for about 2 months, and such a nice bruise that it felt it necessary to move on down to my ankle and foot, looking like one of the worst sprained ankles I've ever had....

 

[softball_chic_12]

haha i remember when my dad would catch for me. it was fun, althought sometimes frustrating with my wicked pitches. now he rarely catches for me but since he is one of my coaches, he stands behind me and helps me that way. so we still get to spend quality time which is nice i deffinetly left a couple of dents in my dad's shins, but nothing serious. and i'm sorry jofus13 but that was VERY funny!

 

[3DD'sDAD]

Great posts everyone! I have been doing this with my 14 year old for about 6 years now. I am 3 months short of 50 and absolutely love every minute spent with my DD (and the other two that don't punish their dad as they don't pitch). Donnie is right though, time for a mask, shin guards etc. for the back yard. Not ready to admit defeat at the park yet though. The last 6 years have gone by toooooo quickly. I am sure the rest will also......

 

[jofus13]

Well, I'm "only" 41, but I have a 3 year old girl also, so IF she plays softball and IF she pitches, I'm gonna be catching her in my 50's, so it should be interesting.....

Especially since, with what I know now, and with what my older DD can show her, chances are she will start earlier than the older one did, and probably advance quicker, at least at first.....