Helping a pitcher's mental hurdles

[RJK]

Sadly, there might be nothing you can do. If she's too skittish to take the circle, you don't want to force her or you might lose her entirely. There are a lot of girls playing the field who were once good young pitchers. Many of them gave up pitching for the same reason as this girl.

I once quit baseball for a few seasons because I kept getting hit by pitches and hurt. I got tired of being plunked all the time, and I was always nervous about getting hit. It affected me to the point I didn't want to play anymore. Thankfully, I got over it, but it took me nearly two years to decide I wasn't going to let my fear beat me. Others never get over the hump.

Either way, I hope she keeps playing the game.

You’re totally right, there may be nothing I can do. She loves the game and still plays other positions really well so I’m not worried about her quitting.

Was there anything in particular that happened with you that allowed you to get over that hump?

 

[tomorrow]

I would attack this issue several different ways but not head-on.
Learn that getting hit is normal / ok.
1. Surprise Catch. Play "Here Catch" in the house with any object at any time. Start with small things not thrown hard.
2. Get the Anywhere ball and play a game of dodgeball or a made-up game of freeze dodgeball.... the side without the ball can not move.
3. Nerf guns and various other shooting toys.

Work on reaction games.
1. Get something like Head band boxing trainer .
2. Learn to Juggle.
3. The small double sided punching bag.

Work on Fear control.
1. Find small things daily that are a little bit scary and do them. Does not have to be sports related. example. go-carts, horseback riding, indoor rock climbing, talking to people, just whatever that is just outside the norm for her. Basically anything that might get the heart racing.
2. Pitch bp to live bunters often.
3. Do more fielding drills from the pitcher position.


I would not vocalize the fear/event back to her by saying "We are going to do this xxxx so you are not afraid of getting hit" Just try and find ways to attack the root.. Fear in general. Time and confidence are the only true ways you might be able to overcome the issue.

 

[tomorrow]

Sorry I did not notice that the OP was just the coach and not the parent.
As the coach, the best you can do is: encourage her to keep practicing pitching at home, do drills with her in the pitcher position and live pitching to bunters. Keep telling the player she is a pitcher in actions and words.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Was there anything in particular that happened with you that allowed you to get over that hump

After two years of not playing baseball, I tried lacrosse and hated it. There was way too much running for me. Finally, my father looked at me and told me to "Be a man." Of course, that was nearly 40 years ago when stuff like that was the norm. Also, the pitching got better, so I got hit a lot less than I did when I was younger.

I would love to face my daughter at the plate today. She throws 63-64, and I always tell her I'd destroy her, but knowing her like I do, she'd probably drill me in the ribs.

 

[radness]

Yep I have! She hasn’t pitched in a game since.

That might be her answer?! She's fine not pitching.

I’m not about forcing players to play where they don’t want to. That’s why I’m here to see if anyone has any suggestions to help ease her mind. Thanks for your input though!

Good for you on both parts not forcing players to play where they don't want to and also seeking suggestions

 

[uncdrew]

There's a saying about getting back on the horse. There's no other way to get her back on the mound other than her getting back on the mound.

Some girls aren't cut out for it.

Every pitcher goes through three events over time:

1. Getting her first over-the-fence HR hit off her
2. Having an outing where they get rocked and yanked
3. Getting drilled by a hard hit ball

How/when they return to the mound from all of these events is very telling as to the type of pitcher they'll become.

 

[radness]

There's a saying about getting back on the horse. There's no other way to get her back on the mound other than her getting back on the mound.

Some girls aren't cut out for it.

Every pitcher goes through three events over time:

1. Getting her first over-the-fence HR hit off her
2. Having an outing where they get rocked and yanked
3. Getting drilled by a hard hit ball

How/when they return to the mound from all of these events is very telling as to the type of pitcher they'll become.

Nice list! Yep not all are cut out to be pitchers

Add to that
4. Throwing what the pitcher thinks are strikes and the Umpire not calling them.
Aka~ performance being judged... pitch after pitch after pitch...

 

[uncdrew]

Nice list! Yep not all are cut out to be pitchers

Add to that
4. Throwing what the pitcher thinks are strikes and the Umpire not calling them.
Aka~ performance being judged... pitch after pitch after pitch...

Good point. My DD bounces back great from the first three. Getting taken yard doesn't bug her much, and of course she's prefer not to get rocked or drilled.

But she hates when umps aren't calling her strikes as strikes. That bugs her more than all the above.

 

[radness]

There's a saying about getting back on the horse. There's no other way to get her back on the mound other than her getting back on the mound.

Some girls aren't cut out for it.

Every pitcher goes through three events over time:

1. Getting her first over-the-fence HR hit off her
2. Having an outing where they get rocked and yanked
3. Getting drilled by a hard hit ball How/when they return to the mound from all of these events is very telling as to the type of pitcher they'll become.

Now would like to add to that how a coach/ parents react to that can push one way or the other off the fence.

 

[Sonerai]

You’re totally right, there may be nothing I can do. She loves the game and still plays other positions really well so I’m not worried about her quitting.

Was there anything in particular that happened with you that allowed you to get over that hump?

After my DD was hit, she was very hesitant to get back in the circle for games. She still loved pitching though. She would come in for an inning here and there. One thing I noticed was that she was walking more people that previously, especially the larger girls. If a big girl got up it was usually 4 outside, off the plate, pitches. That was through summer ball. It continued some in Fall ball, but at some point her confidence increased and her competitiveness took over. By Spring, she was pretty much back to normal. That took about 6 - 8 months though.