DD Pitched well in Tourny but lost...

[obbay]

This weekend was very hot and humid but 12 YO DD did a great job pitching through it. Her team hasn't played much this summer and this tournament was something we squeaked into 2 weeks ago.

Unfortunately we lost the game that would have put us into the final. DD was spent but still working hard. back up pitcher was out with an injury so DD goes the distance. we're beyond time limit and into international tie-breaker. 2 outs, runners on 2B and 3B, intentionally walk next batter to load bases. DD un-intentionally walks the next batter with 4 straight balls, walking in the winning run and collapses.

This last game was, by all accounts, possibly the best game most parents had ever seen. two well-matched teams with a good amount of back and forth, both teams alternating the lead until the opposing team tied it up in the last play of the regulation game, scoring a run before the last out was made.

Probably the last batter she will face this year and it couldn't have been more intense. I want her to be able to look back at this and remember all the good games in this tournament (including the last one) and what a great experience it was and how well she did.

What I want to know is how to make sure that the 12 YO mind doesn't obsess over this last at-bat in the off-season.
any advice you have will be greatly appreciated.

 

[ConorMacleod]

I don't have nearly as much experience on here as some, but I talk with my DD about this type of situation ALL the time. Every pitcher has to be mentally tough and realize these things happen. Next time out she could very well strike out the last batter to win the game. Every pitching practice I remind my daughter to be mentally tough. If she can't be, then she shouldn't be a pitcher. Short term memory required! Who knows, maybe that game will push her to be the best she can be. Losing is a great motivator.

 

[Rooster's Dad]

I'm sure you've done this already but talk to her for sure. Explain to her how very proud you are of her for stepping up and grinding it out in the circle.

 

[nanotech14]

She will forget about sooner then you,she may all ready may have forgot about it.

 

[obbay]

maybe that game will push her to be the best she can be. Losing is a great motivator.

that's what I hope happens and have good reason to believe that it will.

She showed us that she is mentally tough during the game, I just want to make sure that this is all a positive learning experience for her and doesn't turn bad inside her 12 YO mind.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

What I want to know is how to make sure that the 12 YO mind doesn't obsess over this last at-bat in the off-season.

When you figure it out let me know. I still remember facing my last batter in college ( 94' ), I should have never thrown that slider, he was sitting on it and it "slid" right over the fence. Trust me, not the way you want to end a pitching career. And even worse I had shaken off the splitter, 20 years ago and I still obsess.

 

[Atlantabell]

I think every athlete will never forget those times when things didn't go well in a big game. HOWEVER, the more you worry about it, the more she will. We always told our daughter to "use the situation to motivate you." I am sure Kelani Ricketts will think about that last game in the College World Series. The option is, does she use it as motivation OR does she let it control her. If an when your daughter brings is up, discuss it in that way. Tell her to watch the Olympics and all the people who are there in their last Olympics and who didn't win or ever medal. They all go on.

 

[Pitching Dad]

My DD is moving up to 12U this fall. Last spring she was the aole pitcher on her tB team and league. Whenever we have a big situation in a game we discuss it afterward then I leave it alone. I have asked her a few times about these situations and she really doesnt remember. I always describe every issue as " this is why you are on a team, sometimes you do awesome sometimes not but another teammate steps up. Thats what makes a team win or lose, its up to all of you to win or lose a game." I think this helps them see the bigger picture.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

She didn't lose that game. The coach did. He asked her to walk the bases loaded and then, expected her to throw strikes. You said that she was spent. He asked too much of her, over a 12U softball game. How many pitches did she throw that game? And how many games that weekend?

She probably knows that it was the adults that made the mistake.

 

[Coach_Paul]

The title of your thread says it all. "DD Pitched Well". Leave it at that. There's no need to blame anyone for the loss. Whether you're a player or a coach, if you did what you thought was right and gave 100% effort, that's all that can be expected. Don't worry about the W's, you're learning much more than that.