first game pitching

[Sweet Lou]

The first time she throws a ball yell as loudly as you can JUST THROW STRIKES.

Oh wait, that's probably the exact opposite of what you want to do.

 

[JJsqueeze]

If you practice 1/100th keeping quiet about the game as she does preparing for it, you'll do just fine Eat something instead, since it's rude to talk with your mouth full. Put the radio on and rock out.

-W

DDs don't let me listen to good music (which you all remember is mostly from the 70s ) they seem to think that abomination ONE DIRECTION is good music... so I can't listen to music....I could eat in the car but I have horrible manners so that would not stop me. What if I trick them into bringing it up then is it fair game?

 

[CLM265]

Heck with hugging the outfield foul line, make your self known with encouraging words like.

I've seen ducks walking backwards faster than that pitch.

Quit throwing the ball towards China, at least shoot for the moon!

Stop with the marshmallow pitches, leave them for the campfire.

I change it up on Sunday's for the important games.

Should I call the ball manufacturer to have them make more because they keep loosing them over the fence.

Why don't you just place it on a tee for them.

Slow down, I'm sizing the crutches for the next batter.

All kidding aside it's tough to bite your tongue but it can be done. My DD also has her first 10U tourney coming up and it hit me that these are no longer Rec hitters and she might be put in against a team that should be one of the best in the state this year. Please keep the change up down, please.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Since I had been there done that, I never had anxiety watching my kids pitch. Heck, they were prepared. They were talented and they were ready. I just sat and ate my popcorn. You want to act like the dad of the HS star quarterback and smile politely and tell everyone how great their girls did.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Since I had been there done that, I never had anxiety watching my kids pitch. Heck, they were prepared. They were talented and they were ready. I just sat and ate my popcorn. You want to act like the dad of the HS star quarterback and smile politely and tell everyone how great their girls did.

Amy I would dare to say you are in the minority. What's your medication of choice ;-)

Even watch LL where the parents are sitting on pins & needles like it's the end of the world.

 

[Rocketech1]

ps. tell her something Jennie Finch said, "Pitchers are so special that they're the only one on the field with a circle around them"

On deck circle......hmm.....

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Rubber B., I don't know, but the games were just never life and death to me or the kids. I guess it is because my parents would ask me who won and that was it. Back in the day, 90% of the parents didn't go to the games. Now, I am not saying "I don't care." It just takes a really dumb move to excite me any more. If my family is healthy and Mom is good at the nursing home, I am fine.

Now, I do like for kids to be treated fairly and coaches to teach them something and hopefully not hit them with baseballs. A man hitting a kid, any kid is going to get all of my rage, right there, at the time.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

On this subject, I was with a mom of one of my students, last year. It was LL Majors. My student was hot and sweaty and the ball was slipping from her hand. She looked at me and I mouthed "Wipe your hands on your pants." Her Mother wiped her own hands on her pants. I said "Not you!" Geez. Really, if I was that nervous, the games wouldn't be any fun.

 

[corlay]

With my DD (9u) I try to hold a strict policy that I do not coach her while she's on the mound. If she gets into trouble, she needs to learn the skills to work out of jams on her own. Between innings, we'll talk about what she thinks happened, and how she wants to try to correct. Usually works well for her. Although, occasionally, between pitches, she'll give me pleading eyes from the circle for advice, and I'll cave-in and say something short: "Get a stronger push", "Don't pull it across", "Stay intense every pitch", etc.

If *really* struggling, I usually try to let her take her lumps for the entire inning, let her eventually get out of it, and then make a switch.
This past week, we "played up" in a 12U tournament, and after winning our first game (hooray!) we faced a very good team in pool game #2 which my DD faced. She was intimidated and scared of the much larger (physically) team, and struggled w control *and* was getting pummeled on some strike pitches. I made a visit to the mound, and for the first time in her short pitching career she was fighting back tears. I talked her down some, explaining that we *knew* we would be grossly overmatched in some of these games, and I just needed her to hang-tough and try to forgot base-runners and losing this one, and instead remember her proper mechanics and things will get better - and they did. It was hard to resist not pulling her on that visit to the mound. Still have doubt if it would've been better to bring her back to the dugout with me.

 

[Stand an]

Thanks to this site I am a recovering "that dad". I keep my mouth shut except to drink, eat, talk with someone near me, or to cheer. My dd tried pitching. Got into it too late And I think that's over.

Be proud. Be happy. Be there. And be quiet except to cheer. Enjoy the game.