Coach Won't Let Kid Do What She Can Do

[ctfastpitch]

I'm not claiming she throws (4) pitches. I'm claiming she's working on (4) pitches. I don't consider any of them mastered and I never will. All I'm asking for is that she is able to continue working on the pitches she's been taught.

You ever watched a 12U girl that's been told she can't pitch, been pulled for the speedster numerous times, and lost games 23-1 because her infield is incompetent come off the field after striking someone out with her new toy(s)? I have. It's a face I'd like to see again over and over.

By disguise I mean she has a tendency to change her motion when she's not supposed to. Everything should be the same as her fastball except the way the throwing arm comes through, the wrist, and the release.

Still sounds like you are asking her to make up for sloppy defense with pitches that she is still "working on".

Sounds like she is really good at throwing strikes and hitting her spots with her FB, with does make her one-dimensional and hittable if the FB is not overpowering. She needs another go-to pitch that she is confident in, and can throw for strikes. At her age and size, it is not likely to be a drop or screwball (probably someday soon, but not yet), so IMO her best bet at this age is to "master" the CU. By "master" I mean she needs to disguise it well and throw it for strikes. A reasonably quick FB and a good CU will serve her very well at her level (but she still needs a defense behind her!!!)

Like I said earlier, keep her working on her movement pitches and ask the coach to work them in when there is an opportunity.

BTW...there is NOTHING sweeter for a pitcher than making a batter look silly with a 3-2 Change Up. I guarantee that will bring a smile to her face (and the coach's too).

 

[jacketsfan]

So in seven months your 12 year old daughter has been shown how not to pitch, re-trained her muscle memory to get the accurate motion, using this new motion hits all her spots (something she wouldn't have been taught much of before if it was sporadic) has a decent drop and developed a screwball? And struggles with the change-up but can still throw them of assuming?

You need to take your daughter to D1 colleges. It took Arizonas top pitcher the same time to do the same thing your daughter did.

I have no doubt you mean well. I'm having an extremely hard time believing your daughter is able to not only hit her spots and have a consistent drop after less than a year of lessons, but throws a screw too. Is there any chance of seeing video? Because I'll quite happily be proven wrong.

I understand where the coach is coming from here. I'd have a hard time believing it. Has he asked her to show him in training?

I don't have a hard time buying this. My DD learned a drop 2nd (after FB) around 12. She had an older friend try to teach her a rise ball, but she didn't throw that hard, and it really acted like a screw ball. She had a change-up, but it was very ineffective, and easily readable.

She learned a curve, then a riseball, next. She started working on a real change-up at age 16, and it is deadly now. As weird as it sounds, that pitch came last, and was the hardest for her to master. Now, it is her any count, any time go-to pitch. But, it was a painful process.

Everyone's different.

 

[jacketsfan]

EP - hard work is the only answer. The best pitcher I knew at 12U is going to catch and/or play short stop in college. She lost the love of pitching along the way.

My DD was probably the 3rd pitcher on every team she was on until about 14U, when she started to mature more (grow into her body, as they say), get a little stronger, and when chucking fastballs didn't equal pitching anymore.

In fact, of the 6 or so top 12U pitchers I knew, I think only 2 will pitch in college, 2 are playing other positions, and 2 quit SB when they were old enough to drive and have jobs.

Hard work - there is no substitute.

 

[PAcoach]

EP - hard work is the only answer. The best pitcher I knew at 12U is going to catch and/or play short stop in college. She lost the love of pitching along the way.

My DD was probably the 3rd pitcher on every team she was on until about 14U, when she started to mature more (grow into her body, as they say), get a little stronger, and when chucking fastballs didn't equal pitching anymore.

In fact, of the 6 or so top 12U pitchers I knew, I think only 2 will pitch in college, 2 are playing other positions, and 2 quit SB when they were old enough to drive and have jobs.

Hard work - there is no substitute.

as in life........

 

[EP Dad]

Had the meeting. Not going to happen. Here in Minnesota we don't throw anything but Fastballs and Change-Ups and we're all-conference High Schoolers when we do it.

 

[SoftSocDad]

Yes, and yes. Her dad (an 18 year coaching vet who is helping his kid out in her first year of coaching) at the initial team meeting fawned over one of the other girls and told her she should pitch. His analysis was only about body type, frame, etc. No one would ever look at my kid and say she's going to be the next Jennie Finch.

That kid by the way is a catcher, not a pitcher. But sure enough the "other" pitcher on the team is muscular and tall and appears to be the coaches pet project.

But, I'm prima donna father for fighting for the kid that put the offseason work in (and can actually throw harder and faster than the pet project as of now anyway) to get her spots.

I understand what you're saying here and I get it now. Your kid isn't getting a fair shake because the people in charge are so arrogant that they don't want to admit that the ones they scouted are not yet ready to be the program saviors they were tapped to be.

At this point, I would say the issue is that you're looking for fairness in a world that is often anything but. I cannot blame you for campaigning, but regardless of what happens with this team, there is a coach out there that is desperate to have your daughter pitch for them. The heybucket forum is full of them.

 

[EP Dad]

Today's one of those days where I wish I never would have seen a Softball. I really appreciate all the feedback I received in here. Negative or positive alike. Thanks everyone.

 

[SoftSocDad]

Today's one of those days where I wish I never would have seen a Softball.

No way, man, not going to allow you to go there.

At first, it sounded like you were that guy, but whether you realized it or not, it's clear you're fighting for something bigger than just an opportunity for your daughter. You were not successful today, but that doesn't mean you didn't plant an important seed in someone's head. The coach you spoke with might never change, but there's always a chance that someone who reads what you wrote will not become that coach because of the experience you've posted.

You're one of the good guys and I'd be willing to bet money that you're raising a fighter, too. Keep it up.

 

[fastpitch]

I've never seen your DD pitch so I don't know if this is you or not. But in my experience pitcher's dads, myself included, are notorious for blaming everybody else for their DD's shortcomings. They are also a little more inclined to think their DD is a better pitcher than she really is. That rocket up the line the 3B missed is an error; not a hit. Even if the crazy dad tells everyone she had a horrible performance; secretly they blame it on the 1B dropped the ball; the 2B booted the grounder or the left fielder that didn't dive for the "routine" shot hit in the gap that rolled to the wall.

If a pitcher gets beat 20-1; it's usually not the defense alone or the coach calling the wrong pitches that allows that to happen. Good pitchers don't really lose games 20-1 at the 12u B level even with a poor defense behind them. Part of a coaches job is to teach and usually to try and help the team win a few games. If a coach really thought a kids other pitches would help them develop and win the team some games I can't imagine they wouldn't use them. In scenarios like this usually the parents are a little defensive and always blaming somebody else. Its hard to see the true level of talent of their kid.

My 11yo DD the other day gave up a bloop hit over 1B to one of the worst hitters in the league on an 0-2 pitch. I'm an admitted crazy dad. I want her to K everybody or get everyone out. My first instinct was to blame the catcher for calling for a pitch or setting up too much over the plate. It turns out after the game my DD said she missed her spot.

My advice to you is to sit back in right field, be quiet and enjoy her playing the game. Don't give her excuses. Don't let her know you think its the coaches fault or the defense sucks. You are only setting her up to believe she is one of those pitchers who thinks she is more important than everybody else and blames her team or coach if everything falls apart. It's a team game. It's only the beginning of her career. Cream eventually rises to the top. If she is meant to pitch; she will pitch.

 

[abbygale]

At this point, I would say the issue is that you're looking for fairness in a world that is often anything but. I cannot blame you for campaigning, but regardless of what happens with this team, there is a coach out there that is desperate to have your daughter pitch for them. The heybucket forum is full of them.

I'm not sure how to take this?