Catching for my kid

[surelyyoujest]

I just turned 58 and still catch DD, she is 15 and throws junk in the mid 50`s. Last year I let a inside FB go by without putting the glove on it, well it ricocheted off the backstop pipe (4ft behind me) hitting me in the back of head resulting in an mild concussion.On another occasion a pitched inside 2 seam FB took a sharp break to the outside then a hop up; well the ball rolled over the top of the glove pocket and hit me in the nose...result broken nose. I now wear a mask and remember the phase, explode your eyes... don`t blink. Enjoy the fun guys it goes past too fast.

 

[Mark H]

Yes it does. In the blink of an eye looking back.

 

[StacieM]

Donnie: that's such a great post! Thanks for sharing.

 

[pitchmom]

I'm way late to this thread because I am new here, but I just had to comment. I catch for my daughter, who is U14. She has only been pitching less then 2 years, and only throws about 50. But, I tell ya......the bruised shins don't care if it's 50 or 70....it still hurts.

I have wore a mask since very early on because, like mentioned above, I have a tendancy to blink. I don't sit on a bucket, but do the actual squat. I decided early on that I wasn't gonna be a bucket catcher, but the older I get, the better the bucket looks LOL

I don't wear shin gards yet, but am getting really close to buying them and I swear that the changeup is worse then the fastball. I just can't catch that thing and it always has a way of taking a nasty hop to my shins. As I sit (or squat) at her pitching lesson, I will look over in the next lane and see a parent catching their daughter (who is throwing way harder then mine) with no mask and I just cringe.

I met a coach recently who was in his 50's. He had 30 stictches in his lips/mouth. He said that he had been catching for girls for 20 years with no equipment and no problems, then a couple weeks ago, one wrong move and WHAMO.....fastball to the mouth. Don't be a hero.....wear the equipment

I also cherish the alone time with my daughter. I have been her main catcher for 2 years and I look forward to many more. It is a special time that will always be in our memories.

Thanks for the thread....I really enjoyed reading it

 

[tnacntv]

My DD is 14. I've caught for her for 4 years. It has been the best experience. It took only one shot to the mouth and nose for me to get a facemask. I won't catch for her without it. I don't wear shin gaurds and have taken quite a few on the shins, ankles, and muscle areas but I wouldn't trade to injuries for the time for anything. Now that she is a little older she is a much more accurate pitcher. I don't worry too much although I do sweat when on the bucket! Lol We have so much fun. I try to make her laugh and it keeps her relaxed. Her usual comment to me is 'Get your glove down, Mom' or 'Use your glove' because sometimes I find myself dodging the bullet. The worst pitch for me is the drop. I've finally learned to keep my glove out front so I can 'trap' the pitch or so I have enough time to dodge it! lol
The best times are those I see her smiling or laughing at my antics! I dance, I crack jokes, and I know I probably embarrass her at times but later in life I want her to remember these times and think to herself, 'My Mom was always there, making me smile and pushing me to be the best I can be!' To me that's what its all about!

 

[chinamigarden]

Good stuff Donnie. It seems every year as she gets bigger, and I get older, I am putting on more stuff to protect myself. Steel toes shoes, glove pad, catchers helmet. My son jokes with me about using his catchers gear. Everyonce in a while I think to myself. I got a 17 year old boy who caught for years maybe I should be having him catch for her. But that thought fades as the bone bruise on my hand fades. I wouldn't trade if for anything.

 

[Quake Softball]

My daughter is 12 and has been pitching for just over a year now. I love catching for her. Sure i have taken a few off of the shins or not caught it right and bent my thumb back, but it is all worth it. Although, a bout a month a ago we went into the basement for the first time and she short hopped me and I caught in in the groin. Luckily we using the incrediballs because we were inside. Normally, I can hide the pain from her, but not with that one. Still i will never leave the bucket.

 

[tnacntv]

To Screwball:
While I agree with what you say, living here in rural Georgia our team is made up of team members from as much as two hours away. It just is not feasible on a regular basis to have the catcher catch always. It is impossible to even expect them to on a school night when we are attending our lessons. So I'm the next best thing. My DD is comfortable throwing with me in lessons and stays relaxed. She has reached a level of confidence that she doesn't get nervous throwing to her catcher in game situations. They work together along with our other pitchers and catchers at practice and our catchers are good to know and recognize each different style and pitch of all of our pitchers. So it is not a situation for us of 'babying'. Its logical and unfortunately a necessity as it might be for many of us living in more rural areas.

 

[chinamigarden]

Found out last night that a cup is also very necessary at this point. Cold fingers, one got away from her, skipped once and hit the toe of my shoe, before I could be thankful for the steel toe, it rocketed straight up and hit me hard.

When I rolled over she had this look of, OMG what do I do while at the same time trying not to laugh.

 

[pitchmom]

To Screwball:
While I agree with what you say, living here in rural Georgia our team is made up of team members from as much as two hours away. It just is not feasible on a regular basis to have the catcher catch always. It is impossible to even expect them to on a school night when we are attending our lessons. So I'm the next best thing. My DD is comfortable throwing with me in lessons and stays relaxed. She has reached a level of confidence that she doesn't get nervous throwing to her catcher in game situations. They work together along with our other pitchers and catchers at practice and our catchers are good to know and recognize each different style and pitch of all of our pitchers. So it is not a situation for us of 'babying'. Its logical and unfortunately a necessity as it might be for many of us living in more rural areas.

Same with us. My daughter made a tournament tean almost 2 hrs away. She also plays on a league team during the week, but they don't take softball serious around here for league play (that is why we also went to a tournament team). She will use the league games just as extra pitching practice. Anyway, they havn't had a practice yet, so she doesn't even know who their catcher is. I am the only one available to catch for her. During team practices, she pitches to their her catcher