Coach Won't Let Kid Do What She Can Do

[fastpitch]

It is 12U travel ball folks - no one's life, reputation, or career is at stake.

Exactly. We were only trying to help EP see why this...

So, I think I'm going to fight this but I wanted some advice on what to say, do. I've observed the league rule 24-hour rule and now intend to send an email indicating I want a face-to-face meeting. After that I could escalate it to the board if I need to although I hope it doesn't go that far.

...is unnecessary at this point and he should just sit back and enjoy the game.

Is the coach doing something I wouldn't agree with? Maybe, but he's the coach and sometimes they will do things you won't agree with. If you have to send an email and demand a face to face for every coach that does something you don't like regarding your kid (except obviously something egregious), your kid is the one who is going to suffer in the long run. Softball is a small world. Problem parents get their kids the boot all the time. Don't get your kid the boot at the beginning of her softball career. You can always find another team or even start your own one next year and deal with another kids parent who thinks his kid should pitch more innings than your kid because she throws harder or whatever.

 

[ctfastpitch]

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.

If I remember the OP, they lost 23-1 with 0 walks & 3 earned runs....you're gonna blame the pitcher for that????? Puhlease yourself.

This is 12U --- the ball is going to be put in play! Also, the original post said the girl is small for her age, and not a lot of power...she is not a strike-out pitcher, she is a ground ball pitcher...she needs a defense she can rely on.

 

[FPMark]

If I remember the OP, they lost 23-1 with 0 walks & 3 earned runs....you're gonna blame the pitcher for that????? Puhlease yourself.

This is 12U --- the ball is going to be put in play! Also, the original post said the girl is small for her age, and not a lot of power...she is not a strike-out pitcher, she is a ground ball pitcher...she needs a defense she can rely on.

...or at least keep hitters from putting the ball in play as much with some movement pitches...

 

[softballphreak]

If I remember the OP, they lost 23-1 with 0 walks & 3 earned runs....you're gonna blame the pitcher for that????? Puhlease yourself.

This is 12U --- the ball is going to be put in play! Also, the original post said the girl is small for her age, and not a lot of power...she is not a strike-out pitcher, she is a ground ball pitcher...she needs a defense she can rely on.

I believe jacketsfan was defending the pitcher. As you are.

I would say that 0 walks says a little, though. Maybe too many pitches were in the hitting zone (aka tight strike zone). Reminds me of a basketball player I was talking to after a loss. I asked her how many fouls she had. She had none. And she didn't understand why I told her she didn't play as good as she could have.

 

[ctfastpitch]

I would say that 0 walks says a little, though. Maybe too many pitches were in the hitting zone (aka tight strike zone). Reminds me of a basketball player I was talking to after a loss. I asked her how many fouls she had. She had none. And she didn't understand why I told her she didn't play as good as she could have.

I agree with that, but she doesn't need "movement" pitches to avoid that...she just needs to spot out of the zone and/or change speeds when she's ahead on the count.

My main point, however, was that at 12U she would be better off with a reliable C/U as her second go-to pitch than a drop or screwball. Any of the "movement" pitches need some minimum velocity in order for them to "bite" and truly move, so are less likely to be effective at that age unless the kid throws faster than average. So IMO a solid C/U would do more to keep batters off balance, and at her age & size it is easier to develop a solid C/U than it is to have an effective "movement" pitch.


Doesn't mean I agree completely with the coach, however. She should continue to work on her new pitches, and the coach should let her work those pitches in when the count or game situations allow it.

 

[bobbyb]

...or at least keep hitters from putting the ball in play as much with some movement pitches...

haha....now now FPMark....what would the poor little coach do if he allowed such a thing? It might hurt his ego, feelings and local reputation of being the producer of fb/cu pitchers for the local high school if he was to develop a small pitcher that could pitch.

Something just tells me...this coach is about his reputation.

During my first year coaching we played a team from another country school. The opposing teams had coach that was a older man, large and quiet...the kind of person that commanded respect...rather demanding respect. I had to ask him something (don't even remember what it was) but his exact words were.."Thats ok...its all about the girls."

Hopefully most rec/hs/tb coaches remember "its all about the girls".

 

[Lozza]

Everyone has realized the coach is a young woman just out of college?

 

[BB875]

EP,

I would keep DD going in pitching lessons as long as she wants. Build her skills, keep working hard & eventually she will get her shot with some other coach on some other team. If I remember correctly, this is a rec team? I know in my area rec teams love to hold BP with live pitching. Seek out the other coaches and set up a time your DD can throw to them in BP. Build from that. Keep her at it and next season try to get off that team or have her look for a TB team and go from there. Her practice time is not a waste. Not at all!

Sleepless nights are not worth it...She has many years ahead & a player that commits as much time as your DD will have a successful future.

 

[bobbyb]

Everyone has realized the coach is a young woman just out of college?

Yes...that is being mentored by her father that has been the coach for 18 yrs.

 

[Lozza]

Even though, she is still the coach, not the father.

I'm a bit in shock at her being mentored by her father. I had my parents help me out in my first coaching position (dad at training, mum at games) I was 15. That was only for the first year. The idea of them helping me in my 20s is just so foreign to me.