My DD is playing on a 12U traveling team but they are definately in their rebuilding year. My daughter has pitched for the last few years but never the #1, usually the #2 or #3. She has also been catching the last few years here and there. Last year she was the #2 catcher but this year definately the #1 catcher and #2 catcher is not very stroing at the postion at all as she is just learning the position. The top three pitchers this year are very close so not really a #1, #2 or #3 and that includes my DD.
Now the problem, since it's a rebuilding year and when she pitches there are usaully a fair amount of errors she then gets frustrated and it brings her entire game down includung at the plate. When she catches she is not near as bothered by team errors, her overall game is much better and she really tends to help out the team much better. We have spoke to her many times regarding "the pitcher mentality" and you have to think about the next pitch and not what just happended etc etc etc. but it just does not seem to help her. Maybe it's just her type of personalty as she tends to be hard on herself??? She has a pitching coach that she works with once in awhile but has been basically self taught on catching but seems to have taken to the postion quite well.
I made the suggestion this week that we start to focus more on catching and her overall game and she seemed fine with that but said she would still like to pitch "once in awhile" but I know to be a good pitcher you have to put in the time and I don't know if she is willing to really do that??? I told her pitching coach what we are thinking and she's not very happy about the suggestion. We told the coach and he's fine with it but is that because that makes his decisions easier now and she definately helps the team more when she is catching???
What does everyone suggest we do, what is best for my DD, at what age do you say it's either pitching or catching???
Not really sure what is the right call here as a parent, what is everyone's suggestions???
Thanks
Now the problem, since it's a rebuilding year and when she pitches there are usaully a fair amount of errors she then gets frustrated and it brings her entire game down includung at the plate. When she catches she is not near as bothered by team errors, her overall game is much better and she really tends to help out the team much better. We have spoke to her many times regarding "the pitcher mentality" and you have to think about the next pitch and not what just happended etc etc etc. but it just does not seem to help her. Maybe it's just her type of personalty as she tends to be hard on herself??? She has a pitching coach that she works with once in awhile but has been basically self taught on catching but seems to have taken to the postion quite well.
I made the suggestion this week that we start to focus more on catching and her overall game and she seemed fine with that but said she would still like to pitch "once in awhile" but I know to be a good pitcher you have to put in the time and I don't know if she is willing to really do that??? I told her pitching coach what we are thinking and she's not very happy about the suggestion. We told the coach and he's fine with it but is that because that makes his decisions easier now and she definately helps the team more when she is catching???
What does everyone suggest we do, what is best for my DD, at what age do you say it's either pitching or catching???
Not really sure what is the right call here as a parent, what is everyone's suggestions???
Thanks