How should DD tell coach she doesn't pitch anymore?

[wdleggett]

I am not saying this is you or your daughter's situation. but did have a player who didn't want to pitch.

I coached JV HS and Travel. In HS I had a season where I only had one pitcher with real game-time experience in the circle, and she didn't want to pitch. She wanted to play first base. Her parents called me, emailed me, complained to the AD.

Travel, you try and go to teams that fit your desired position...high school not so much. You have such a wide range of skill levels, you have to do what you can to fill the positions. Sometimes "little sally" has to play in a position they are not comfortable with. Welcome to the real world.

I tried to explain to the parents, in high school you play where needed, and I couldn't go the entire season without her pitching in most of the games, or at least part of most games. Father said he would let his daughter quit. We talked about that, and I expressed my opinion on why that was a bad idea, but it was his daughter. I told him I would use other players who were willing to step up and do what was needed, but "little sally" was pitching when the situation called for it.

It was rough at times. In one game the better more experienced "primary pitcher" refused to take the circle when the much less experienced pitcher was getting rocked. The "primary pitcher" rode the bench the next game. The parents were not happy and were in my ear again.

The next game that she started was in the circle, and I can't prove it, but I think she purposely did poorly. I pulled her when she walked six in a row in inning one. Again... the phone rings and text messages start coming in. I quit replying and said if you have any issues take it to the AD.

Players need to adjust both mentally and physically. I'm kind of old school. Unless there is a legit safety risk, you do what is needed for the team. Life can be uncomfortable at times. these are 15-17 year-old young ladies, not little girls. That particular player transferred to another school and played one more season.

Had something similar with a parent whose daughter was a catcher, which was always her primary and desired position. The season is about to begin, and suddenly, "little sally" is no longer a catcher, she's a corner. WTH? I explained, we only have two catchers. Sorry. She's a catcher, she won't catch every game and will play other positions but both catchers were close in skills and will share the time. Parents went to AD. AD said it's the coach's call. That was last year as a head coach. Hung up my hat. That team is still looking for a head coach to run the team.

If I was coaching your daughter, I would simply ask her to practice pitching at the team practices. Throwing bullpens, and throwing during live batting practice. If she can, maybe a couple of private lessons, during the season, or at least work at home on her basics once a week. As long is she doing her best, you can't ask for more. Some days will be better than others, and I wouldn't leave her in the circle if she was getting hit hard or walking batters. Sometimes the bad days will be on her, and sometimes it will be on the defense. For some pitchers, it's much more frustrating for them when the defense isn't on their "A"game, and gives up "hits" that's should have been outs.

I’m going to say this as respectfully as possible and readily admit I’ve never coached at the level you have as my experience has only been rec with some travel tournaments thrown in. With that said, I’d tell you flat out to go kick rocks and I doubt it would be exactly those words if you told my daughter (who happens to be a catcher) she had no choice but to catch. I’ve had discussions that luckily didn’t come to that but I told them flat out she would not catch. If I didn’t trust that you had her safety in mind I wouldn’t have a problem walking away and have done it because we can find another team. Catcher is just one of those positions I would forfeit a game before I put someone back there to potentially get hurt, and if something did happen if she was forced… it would be very bad very fast.


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[KenBlackfish]

I’m going to say this as respectfully as possible and readily admit I’ve never coached at the level you have as my experience has only been rec with some travel tournaments thrown in. With that said, I’d tell you flat out to go kick rocks and I doubt it would be exactly those words if you told my daughter (who happens to be a catcher) she had no choice but to catch. I’ve had discussions that luckily didn’t come to that but I told them flat out she would not catch. If I didn’t trust that you had her safety in mind I wouldn’t have a problem walking away and have done it because we can find another team. Catcher is just one of those positions I would forfeit a game before I put someone back there to potentially get hurt, and if something did happen if she was forced… it would be very bad very fast.


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In this day and age, rec ball and high school ball can be one of the same when it comes to the player's skill levels and parents trying to figure out when you just have to let the coach run the team. As I said in the reply, if there was a safety issue, that's another story. These particular players in this particular situation were experienced in the positions that I required and the team needed them to play.

You can teach any decent athlete how to "play" the catcher position, especially in rec, pitching not so easily.

 

[_MIA_]

You can teach any decent athlete how to "play" the catching position, especially in rec, pitching not so much.

If a team is in a situation where they have to put somebody behind there who has never caught before, 99.9 percent of the time the catching position isn’t going to be the difference between wins and losses.

 

[KenBlackfish]

If a team is in a situation where they have to put somebody behind there who has never caught before, 99.9 percent of the time the catching position isn’t going to be the difference between wins and losses.

I agree. I was referring to rec. Not HS or High level TB.

When I was coaching Rec, almost every kid wanted to catch at one point or another.
Sometimes it was the best position for a player with attention and focus issues. (safety always 1st) But as they get older, it's not meant for all "little Sally's", especially when you have a good pitcher in the circle. And when I was coaching Rec I wasn't too worried about the win or loss....I saved that for the rec league tournament and All Stars.

 

[_MIA_]

I agree. I was referring to rec. Not HS or High level TB.

When I was coaching Rec, almost every kid wanted to catch at one point or another.
Sometimes it was the best position for a player with attention and focus issues. (safety always 1st) But as they get older, it's not meant for all "little Sally's", especially when you have a good pitcher in the circle. And when I was coaching Rec I wasn't too worried about the win or loss....I saved that for the rec league tournament and All Stars.

If you read above, my DD was sort of forced to catch in MS and the team would have still been horrible if she had been Johnny Bench