How to deal with Error

[mmeece]

I do understand the sarcastic answers to a degree, but all of us who have been a pitcher's dad have seen innings/games in which our pitcher did the job she wanted to do (induce easy pop-ups, weak ground balls, etc) but the plays didn't get made behind her. Obviously, they aren't perfect pitchers either, but there does come a point when you have to decide if ability of the team to make a play is equal to the ability of the pitcher. It gets tough as a coach (or as a dad) to explain why it takes 5 or 6 plays that should be outs in order to get 3. All you can really do for the pitcher is continue to encourage her and let her know that she's doing what you want her to do and that it will pay off soon enough.

 

[AW95SY]

This weekend we were playing a friendly and the opposing team had one of those innings where nothing goes right. DD's team was battling at the plate and finding success with a combination of seeing-eye bloopers, the occasional hard hit ball and an error or two. as the opposing coach made his way out to the mound for the second time, the pitcher stalked off, ignoring the coach, packed her bags and walked to her parents car in the parking lot without saying a word to anybody. The coach ran out to have a chat with her & both her parents who were in the car, then they left. The team still had to find a way out of that inning, and the rest of the game.

It was a 16U game, all HS Frosh or Sophomores. This girl clearly didn't grasp that by bailing, she let her team down, and everything that happened up to that point was irrelevant. And by driving off, her parents only reinforced the idea that it was all about her.

The thing is, all kids have those thoughts at some point in their playing or academic careers. When they voice them at an early age it gives us as parents/coaches a wonderful opportunity to help them understand how the game and the world work. You get farther by having a group of people with you to meet challenges. Will there be setbacks? Of course, but that is how we grow. This is what I like about team sports, it flushes out many of the potentially toxic thoughts and issues that most kids have and allows them to be addressed in a positive way early.

 

[Cannonball]

All true development/improvement involves two steps forward and one step backward. That is how I would have answered that. Not everyone develops at the same rate and development is a marathon and not a sprint.

 

[Orange Socks]

This weekend we were playing a friendly and the opposing team had one of those innings where nothing goes right. DD's team was battling at the plate and finding success with a combination of seeing-eye bloopers, the occasional hard hit ball and an error or two. as the opposing coach made his way out to the mound for the second time, the pitcher stalked off, ignoring the coach, packed her bags and walked to her parents car in the parking lot without saying a word to anybody. The coach ran out to have a chat with her & both her parents who were in the car, then they left. The team still had to find a way out of that inning, and the rest of the game.

Hissy Quit Alarm!!!! Wee OOO Wee OOO!!!!

 

[uncdrew]

I do understand the sarcastic answers to a degree, but all of us who have been a pitcher's dad have seen innings/games in which our pitcher did the job she wanted to do (induce easy pop-ups, weak ground balls, etc) but the plays didn't get made behind her. Obviously, they aren't perfect pitchers either, but there does come a point when you have to decide if ability of the team to make a play is equal to the ability of the pitcher. It gets tough as a coach (or as a dad) to explain why it takes 5 or 6 plays that should be outs in order to get 3. All you can really do for the pitcher is continue to encourage her and let her know that she's doing what you want her to do and that it will pay off soon enough.

Just remind her how much she can pad her stats with 5 strikeout innings.

 

[chinamigarden]

If they are paying attention and giving me full effort. I’ll live with the results. If the player needs coaching on technique, I’ll do that one to one.

 

[bmakj]

Dealing with mistakes (not limited to errors in softball)

acknowledge it
learn from it
forget it (not entirely, but in the sense of moving past it)

 

[all_inFP]

I do understand the sarcastic answers to a degree, but all of us who have been a pitcher's dad have seen innings/games in which our pitcher did the job she wanted to do (induce easy pop-ups, weak ground balls, etc) but the plays didn't get made behind her. Obviously, they aren't perfect pitchers either, but there does come a point when you have to decide if ability of the team to make a play is equal to the ability of the pitcher. It gets tough as a coach (or as a dad) to explain why it takes 5 or 6 plays that should be outs in order to get 3. All you can really do for the pitcher is continue to encourage her and let her know that she's doing what you want her to do and that it will pay off soon enough.

This.
I talk to my daughter a lot about controlling only what she can control. If she starts worrying about others that didn't make their play, she is going to forget about what she is supposed to be doing in the circle. Stay positive.

 

[ang2bmd]

It is tough...but its tough on all players. Its hard to explain to fielders why their pitcher left the ball fat or walked the #9 hitter bringing up the top of the line up. Especially in the younger ages if the ball is getting hit hard some errors are to be expected and this is as much on the pitcher for not hitting spots as it is on the fielder. Balls being hit hard indicates balls being left over the plate. They are ALL learning and its a team game. If my pitcher dd was frustrated my answer to her would be well why didn't you strike them out. I know its unreasonable to expect her to do this all the time but its unreasonable of her to expect that same perfection from her teammates.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[_MIA_]

To put it bluntly, everybody needs to worry about themselves. This isn't a situation where an NFL left tackle whiffs on a block and consequently the QB is blindsided. It is some young kids, who are still learning the game, making errors.