How do we balance pitching coach vs. team coach?

[halskinner]

OK, we can breathe now, DD is 9. Many pitchers develop
little quirks that are her style. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
This being said, when I had a pitcher struggle last year, I spoke
to the parents who relayed to PC who corrected flaws.

Thats one of the directions the communications are SUPPOSED to work. What if the team coach sends word through you to the instructor that he wants your 9YO to learn the roll over drop and if she does not, he cant use her? Will your instructor go for that? Will you??? I had that happen to me once.

Hal

 

[sluggers]

Hal and I apparently have lots of battle scars from this issue. We have different perspectives.

As a parent, I just want my DD to get lots of playing time with as little interference the coach as possible. Trying to educate the coach is a waste of time. So, my DDs simply avoided confrontations with the coach and did the "smile and nod".

My DD's PC was former men's fastpitch pitcher. He developed three Olympians (not pitchers) and many, many D1 pitchers. As some of you know, my DD struggled with closing too early (we had an awful PC before the "real" PC). She had worked very, very hard to correct her form.

So, my DD goes to play JUCO ball, and the JUCO coach, who had never even played an inning of fastpitch, decided that my DD could get more speed by closing her hips and dragging her arm around her hips. Arguing with her was a waste of time. The coach couldn't tell when my DD was closing her hips anyway. Why fight about it? So, my DD just started saying, "You're right coach" and ignored her.

The coach didn't end shut up until my DD won 30 games that year. But, other than not knowing anything about pitching, her JUCO coach was one of the better coaches I've been around.

 

[SoftballMama]

Thank you everyone for your help. At this point, I think we will do the smile and nod. DD is one of the youngest on the team and comes off the bench anyway. As far as other teams go, I don't see changing teams as an option right now. By the way sluggers, DH (dear husband) says you are right on the money with everything you've said. He thinks there will never be any discussion between coach and PC. I have another question about hitting so will move to that post. It has to do with coach stan's comment in this thread, "I have had a few parents who let the coaches change things and their daughters started to develop poor mechanics. And then the coach asks the parents why the pitcher is not performing as well as they did when they tried out for the team" - but as it relates to hitting. Actually its really a "being a softball parent" issue. So I will go there. You will all probably tell me to take my DD and run!