Evolution of a DD Pitcher

[MandM]

There has got to be some pay off along the way or anyone would give up. It is like knitting a blanket that takes 3 years to make and can't be used till its finished. GG

My DD started pitching lessons the year she turned 12. She pitched rec after the first year, the following year, now 14u, she was an #3 pitcher on a "B team", which means she did get games on Saturday, but did not pitch alot. By the following year, she could pitch for middle school and get games that way and was #1 pitcher on the 14UB team (in NJ so maybe that is really a C). I think what really motivated my DD was seeing other girls pitch- that is what got her started, and kept her going- she wanted to be like them. She has a competitive nature. I would try to take her to see older girls play, and she would also see them pitch at tournaments, and that is what she wanted to be.

Now that she is in high school, the goals are more focused. Pitching for varsity, developing effective new pitch, trying to improve her skill to the best that she can be, but looking back, it was seeing the other pitchers who were successful was sufficient motivation to work hard at getting better, even without the "payoff". I would say first REAL payoff for DD was middle school as an 8th grader, and was 3 years into it.

Being a "bucket parent" is like Dickens "tale of two cities".. it is the best of times, it is the worst of times... sometimes at the same time.

 

[WillyT812]

My own daughter started pitching at 10. We started a 12U team in Louisiana and traveled in both Texas and LA. She was one of three pitchers on the team and I rotated them equally, they were all at the same level (taught by me so go figure). When she reached high school their team was led by the best pitcher in the state at that time. My daughter had to wait until her senior year to be the pitcher. As I mentioned in another post she ended up district MVP and made the All-State team her senior year. She was a good pitcher, never great. She was a good third baseman, she was a good lead-off slapper. I think towards her junior year she got burned out a bit. Looking back now, ten years later, she says her greatest regret in high school was not working harder at softball. But you know what, she worked at it 12 months out of the year for five years, softball was good to us.

 

[Classof2020]

One thing you didn't cover which I do hope you have some insight on is how to overcome frustration and keep them working for the 2-3 years waiting for the payoff. This is why I asked in my previous post about "the progression" of pitching. I know all kids are different, but to think ok after three years of lessons and practice, we might be a #1 pitcher for a travel team. There has got to be some pay off along the way or anyone would give up. It is like knitting a blanket that takes 3 years to make and can't be used till its finished.

When you say "serviceable" after 2-3 years, what does that mean? Pitching consistent strikes in rec. ball or having 3 pitches, striking out everytime with lightening speed at a high level travel team?

Thanks for the post. Very nice.

GG

If she is enjoying pitching I think she'll be getting payoff along the way. I agree with what the other people have said get her somewhere where she'll get circle time. My daughter pitched in rec ball for first year and loved it even though she didn't know what she was doing. Off season we found a pitching coach and figured out how to actually pitch and she worked her tail off that fall and winter. Then we got her on a b/c level team for last year where it was BARELY a step up from the rec team at the beginning, but she pitched and pitched and pitched. They hardly won a game. A teams took batting practice off her. She had some victories along the way though. She LOVED getting her first strike outs with her CU. She loved getting a hit off the fast pitcher on the A team in the open tournament. She LOVES pitching -whether they are winning or losing. She wouldn't trade it for anything. Now she has been blessed to be accepted as #3 on an A team for next year. And she is working with all she's got to become the #2, and I think she may be almost there after only a few months.

All of this to say that if she is supposed to be a pitcher she'll enjoy the journey even if right now her knitted blanket looks more like a scarf or a doily. Winter is tough but remind her spring will be here before she knows it.

 

[WillyT812]

I think quite a few touched on the right mentality for pitching as well as life. Enjoy the journey, in the long run the destination is often anti-climatic. I watched a video of Mike Candrea years ago, I think he summed it up best..."You better enjoy endless hours of drill, that is what softball is, never-ending hours of drill work." The games are gravy, time to show off a bit, have some fun. Then it's back to skill drills and situational drills. When I had a team I was constantly on the hunt for new drills, this kept it interesting and challenging. Pitching is a bit different. Take to heart Hillhouse's mantra of dropping everything but the k-drills and full on pitching. I think he's right, all the other drills detract and slow down progression.