Coach Won't Let Kid Do What She Can Do

[rowdy]

Maybe she can pitch, maybe she can't. The problem with your question is you really don't care what people are suggesting. Everyone who is giving you great advice (let it be for while) is getting rebutted. You need to relax, let the coach do her job and if that doesn't work out for you have your daughter tryout for another team.

If you stay the course you are currently on you will end up having a daughter that can pitch with no team that wants her. Softball is a team game and as a parent you need to instill this in your daughter and get off this angle of what she did all winter somehow making her special. If she focuses on what the coach wants then she will grow with the team and probably get to a point where she can make some comments to the coach and be heard. Quite frankly the first couple of weeks of a season is not the time for this conversation.

Take a step back an make sure you are not contributing or creating the friction in this case. We have removed some really good players from our team over the years simply to rid our team of a negative parent.

 

[EP Dad]

I'm rebutting everything? Really?

The whole point was can she practice what she's learned or can't she? The answer was no. So, we move on and make the best of it.

 

[Lozza]

I'm rebutting everything? Really?

EPDad please read this again and I hope you get the laugh I just did out of it ;-)

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

I'm rebutting everything? Really?

The whole point was can she practice what she's learned or can't she? The answer was no. So, we move on and make the best of it.

She can "practice" any time she wants.

 

[EP Dad]

She can "practice" any time she wants.

What kind of comment is that? If you can't throw them in games then what's the point? Seriously, I have been so clear in my position, and have conceded to the coaches wishes, yet I continue to get static.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

Pitchers dont master pitches by throwing them in games. They master them by practicing them constantly. She should continue to practice the pitches on her own. Her pitching development wont end with this season or this particular team.

 

[fastpitch]

If you can't throw them in games then what's the point?

That comment is short sighted. The point is if she keeps working at it eventually the time will come. Just be patient. At 9 my dd took pitching lessons weekly and practiced 2-3x/week for almost one year before even stepping into a game to pitch. It was the best thing for her. She's 11 now and is far ahead of the girls who were pitching in games at 9/10. It's obviously not because she got to pitch in games when she started pitching. It's because she practiced outside games. She has about 6 pitches she's working on with her pitching coach. She really only throws 3 or 4 different ones in any game. The other ones aren't really "game ready".

 

[3'sDad]

EP: Our DD is just a bit older than yours and has been working with her pitching coach since she was a rising 10 y/o. I played baseball and knew nothing about how to windmaill and asked our league director of a referral for a PC as DD wanted to learn to pitch. Here's how the pitching progression went, beginning from scratch:
Day 1-90 - learn the mechanics of pitching - lesson plus 3 practice sessions weekely. We would go down the street to the local school where FF (favorite father) would park his behind on the bucket, with a brick wall behind him (so I didn't have to chase the wild throws - yes I was hit in the back of the head by rebounding balls a few times). Throw 100 pitches per session.
Day 91-120- somewhere in here DD found the plate horizontally, but the pitch would be bounced or at my eyes.....still practicing 3x week plus lesson....huge progress.
Day 120 -150 found both the horizontal and vertical location of the plate.....season is about to begin. DD will see what she can do with live batters. Still practicing 2x week plus lesson.
Day 150 - 180 PC introduces the CU as DD will pitch in LL All-Stars and needs a 2nd pitch. DD practices CU and throw it for a strike 30% of the time...season complete.

Year 2......DD and PC work on the CU as the 2nd pitch....when DD can throw a CU for a strike 60% of the time in a lesson, which occurs after Christmas, PC introduces the drop curve. DD loves the drop and masters it pretty quickly, neglecting the CU. Lesson plus 2x week practice.

Year 3.....PC introduces the screwball.....there is nothing better as a dad catcher than having to duck the dreaded "screwgy-rise ball" !! DD works on the screwball, drop and FB the 1st half of the winter, not really practicing the CU....she is loving the fast movement pitches....lesson + 2x week practice.......1st or 2nd tournament of the Spring, club coach calls a CU just to see what will happen.....it was the Ah HA Moment as DD threw a beauty....the batter could have done he Buggs Bunny cartoon thing " swing/miss, swing/miss, swing/miss" prior to the pitched ball crossing the plate. DD now understands the value of changing speeds along with moving the ball horizontally and vertically in the strike zone.

Year #4 (this year) - DD's go to pitch is the CU, which she practices religiously. At 14U they try to limit throwing straight fastballs as all of the girls can hita flat fastball, regardless of speed, so the drop and screwball are mixed in with the CU. PC really has not formally nintroduced a rise ball, but they do happen when the mechanics of the screwball are not quite correct, as they are similar pitches.

FYI: DD is 5'2" on a tall day and weighs 105 lbs with her spikes on. at 14 U they pitch from 43' in school and all other tournamnets outside of ASA, so DD will not be overpowering, throwing 50-51 MPH with the fastball or the movement pitches.

Hope this helps......BK

 

[jacketsfan]

Softball is a team game and as a parent you need to instill this in your daughter and get off this angle of what she did all winter somehow making her special. If she focuses on what the coach wants then she will grow with the team and probably get to a point where she can make some comments to the coach and be heard.

This is pretty disrespectful to the history here. This kid worked her butt off to learn some new pitches, as asked. Maybe, just maybe, the coach should be respectful of the effort she has put in.

Pitchers dont master pitches by throwing them in games. They master them by practicing them constantly. She should continue to practice the pitches on her own. Her pitching development wont end with this season or this particular team.

Not true - you can practice the, but you can not master them until you throw them with someone in the box trying to put them out of the park. You have to have the threat of them being hit to really tie them down.

In general, it seems that some folks are acting like this is Game 7 of the World Series, and we better dare not allow this kid, who has worked hard as asked, throw any of her new pitches.

It is 12U travel ball folks - no one's life, reputation, or career is at stake. MAYBE, the coach should give her a shot in a game, maybe even a seed game if it that's big of a deal, and say - "this is your game. We will work your pitches, and see how it goes. After this game, we'll readjust our approach if necessary". How much would this really hurt? Maybe the coach owes it to the player to recognize her effort, and give her a shot.

And, who knows - he might be surprised, and find some new tools (called breaking pitches - I know - advanced concept).

As for blaming poor defense for a pitcher's mistakes - whoever wrote that - puhlease. My DD hates coming back to the dugout to see me if a 0-2 pitch gets hit. I don't care if it's a lazy fly ball to the OF. If the batter makes contact, then she screwed up and she knows it. It is wrong to think that pitcher's parents don't know if their kid is pitching well or not.

Hits that decapitate infielders are not blamed on infielders. However, infielders that gack on balls hit right to them get blame, as do 1B who drop balls that hit them in the glove.

The OP is frustrated that his kid, who was asked to work hard over winter, did so, and is not allowed to try some of what she learned in games. The coach should give her a try - it's just that simple.

It seems that some of you undervalue just how much work goes into learning to pitch.

 

[EP Dad]

Thank you, jacketsfan. I don't think anything else needs to be said.