Helping a kid breakout

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Jan 25, 2020
6
3
I have a 15 yo pitcher on my team who is doing great, but really wants to get faster. She is consistent, can hit spots and has all her movement pitches down and is physically strong with sound mechanics. Fastball is about 52-54. It seems like a mental issue. She always holds back a little, both in practice and in games, because she is nervous about losing control and admits that she has a huge fear of tiring out. She isn’t lazy, but she is a bit of a perfectionist and has a hard time going all out. She also imagines the absolute worst outcomes. Other than being positive and encouraging, we are all not sure how to help her push herself and “throw caution to the wind” so to speak. Any suggestions? Parents are wonderful, so it’s not a fear-based issue, she is just really hard on herself.
 
Jun 1, 2015
500
43
I have a couple of younger players on my 16U rec team who are in the same boat. We lost our first league game 10-8 - she was the 3rd out (struck out looking), and the tears were flowing in the handshake lineup and after the game, like she was the last out of the WCWS. When I spoke with her after, she said, "It was all on me and I let the team down, etc." (this girl is 13, btw). I told her, "There were plenty of other things that happened in the game that led to this spot - anything changing earlier changes this. Try not to put the pressure of the rest of the game on your shoulders - it's too much to carry." She overthinks everything - "why didn't I swing at that?", "I should've stolen that base but I couldn't, why didn't I steal?", etc. She's going to have more gray hair at 13 than I do at 33.


For as much negativity that goes into their heads during games, I always tell them to let the pressure and stress slide and have them focus on the battle, not the war. Worry about one thing at a time - do your job - your teammates are here for your support. Repeating it over and over, especially when the good things DO happen - they look at it like one caused the other, and they start believing it.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
I have a 15 yo pitcher on my team who is doing great, but really wants to get faster. She is consistent, can hit spots and has all her movement pitches down and is physically strong with sound mechanics. Fastball is about 52-54. It seems like a mental issue. She always holds back a little, both in practice and in games, because she is nervous about losing control and admits that she has a huge fear of tiring out. She isn’t lazy, but she is a bit of a perfectionist and has a hard time going all out. She also imagines the absolute worst outcomes. Other than being positive and encouraging, we are all not sure how to help her push herself and “throw caution to the wind” so to speak. Any suggestions? Parents are wonderful, so it’s not a fear-based issue, she is just really hard on herself.
Suggestion
Ask her if she wants the rest of the team to hold back for the same reasons.
Is that how she wants the Outfield to react when there's a runner rounding third? How about grounders in the infield?
That way she can see that she has the same requirement to learn to get over that obstacle as other players do.
May not be every pitch but they have the same requirement.
* it's something she has in common with the rest of the team.

Simply she may be able to recognize that other players need to work through this also. And can make it more common than an individual fear/reaction.


Hope the suggestion helps.
 
Jan 25, 2020
6
3
I have a couple of younger players on my 16U rec team who are in the same boat. We lost our first league game 10-8 - she was the 3rd out (struck out looking), and the tears were flowing in the handshake lineup and after the game, like she was the last out of the WCWS. When I spoke with her after, she said, "It was all on me and I let the team down, etc." (this girl is 13, btw). I told her, "There were plenty of other things that happened in the game that led to this spot - anything changing earlier changes this. Try not to put the pressure of the rest of the game on your shoulders - it's too much to carry." She overthinks everything - "why didn't I swing at that?", "I should've stolen that base but I couldn't, why didn't I steal?", etc. She's going to have more gray hair at 13 than I do at 33.


For as much negativity that goes into their heads during games, I always tell them to let the pressure and stress slide and have them focus on the battle, not the war. Worry about one thing at a time - do your job - your teammates are here for your support. Repeating it over and over, especially when the good things DO happen - they look at it like one caused the other, and they start believing it.
Thank you! Such great advice. Love it and nice to know I’m not alone
 
May 16, 2019
415
63
If I want a player to loosen up and pitch freely , I'll have her pitch about 5 to 7 feet further. Far enough to get more effort but not to far she changes her mechanics. Then pitch at regular distance but use the same loose effort.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,481
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top