Desperately need help with 12U daughter's coach re: pitching

[sluggers]

I love a poster who asks rhetorical questions:

AC's daughter is #1, HC's daughter is #2, and my daughter is #3.

For all the non-newbies to softball: Is there anything more she had to say?

My question is, if you've made it this far, is what do I ask the coach -- what can I say to him -- to get him to tell us what my daughter needs to do to be able to pitch for the team?

Ask him if he wants to adopt your DD, because otherwise the only time she will set foot in the circle is when she is running to the outfield.

What will it take for him to let her throw a few innings?

If the one of the other pitchers breaks a leg or arm.

If experience and practice is what she needs, WHERE is she supposed to get it if not from him?

Please, don't bring logic into a discussion regarding softball. We have softballs that magically rise and umpire strike zones that look like something right out of "Beetlejuice."

He won't put her in because she lacks "whatever" something, but unless she's allowed to pitch, how on earth is she supposed to get it?

There you go with that ridiculous logic again.

How can she improve if not given the opportunity?

She won't...which is why your DD won't get a chance to pitch. If she got to pitch, she might beat out one of the other two.

Your DD is a good athlete or she wouldn't be playing CF. The HC wants her on the team to play CF and, in the event of an emergency, pitch a few innings. Perhaps the coach told you this and you weren't listening, in which case "shame on you". Perhaps he told you something different, which would then be "shame on him". But, in the end, it doesn't matter.

THE TRUTH: If your DD truly wants to be a pitcher, then she has to find a place to pitch. She needs to be either the #1 or the #2 pitcher. It will most likely be for a lesser team, but so what?

 

[Phathead]

Things could be worse. She could be the #3 pitcher saved for emergency and not good enough to get playing time at any of the other 8 postions. If she really wants to pitch like others have said find another team that is a good fit for her and needs a pitcher.

 

[Cecelia]

Thank you all

All of you who have posted in this thread, thank you. You've all said pretty much what I suspected you'd say. I appreciate it.

I talked to my daughter and she is kind of excited about the idea of pitching for another team when her team isn't playing. Now I have another question: How do I go about finding a team to pick her up for a weekend? Do I advertise somewhere?

Thanks again for all the advice.

 

[Cecelia]

Oh, and one more thing she has decided! She's going to continue giving 100% and doing her very best at whatever position she is playing.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

You will need to find out where the teams post for your state. It could be ASA, USSSA, etc.

 

[tjintx]

You gave the answer to your own question right off the bat. The coach doesn't have anything against your DD, it's that he has a thing for his own DD. that's why he and the AC are coaching. More than likely they can't get pitching time otherwise.
If your DD is what you say she is defensively and especially offensively these coaches will miss her sorely.
IMO don't wait till next season to find a new team. Do it now! At every tourney you play from now walk around to the coaches of the teams and ask if/when they are holding tryouts. Usually If they know you are looking they will make the effort to watch your DD play at that tourney and will ask you to come to a practice. Don't worry about hurt feelings on the team you are leaving. They don't really care about yours. Good luck. Your DD will shine on another team. Oh! And do your home work on the next team before you join them

 

[Sftballdad1]

The softball community is huge everywhere...not likely any different in your community! If you make the effort to meet a couple folks outside of your team your network will grow rapidly. I,like what you said about your daughter giving 100 percent.....many have NOIdea the amount of work it takes to be a great pitcher. If she is truly committed to work her you know what off.....she will shine....if she just want to be average she will only give an average effort. Pitching at home....truly learning the game....getting smart for the game separates the great from the average. I love girls who are smart for the game and really love what the game is......it complicated, it's sophisticated and the smarter you are for the game the more you will love it. Best of luck to you and mostly to her. Continue to support her and give her the tools she needs to be the best if that is her wish. I agree with the post prior.....leave now....she has nothing to gain by staying if she wants to pitch.....bail and find her a team to pitch on!

 

[David Carter]

Usually there are bulletin boards online line where teams advertize they are looking for guest players, actually this is the perfect time as school plays, band recitals, dances, graduations and all sorts of other activities are taking place. Around here there are teams advertizing every week for a pool or bracket pitcher for the next few weeks.

 

[MandM]

A bit of advice in looking for a new team is to spell out very clearly what you expect- I am not sure what the coach of the current team offered your DD in terms of pitching time, but when you are looking for new teams, you need to tell the new coach that your DD is looking for dedicated pitching time as #1 or #2 pitcher so that she will be sure to get the innings that she needs to improve. You can check out prospective teams at tournaments now with your DD_ maybe a different A level team if some of their girls are aging up. if you watch their pitching you can decide if your DD would be competitive with them.

Last thing- I love your DD's attitude! you go girl.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

The coach doesn't have anything against your DD, it's that he has a thing for his own DD. that's why he and the AC are coaching. More than likely they can't get pitching time otherwise.

I am a little cynical about this, I am not saying it doesn't happen but that's not the impression I got from the OP. If the coaches DD's are the #1 and #2 AND they are winning games (they are pitching well) what can you say? If the coaches told the OP that her daughter was the #3 pitcher before the season started than your only option is to out play them with a little hard work.

If the case was that there were better pitchers on the team than the coaches daughters AND they were losing games it would seem to me that it would be more than the #3 pitcher asking questions. Those teams don't stay together long.

I have yet to meet a TB coach that doesn't want to win.