I’m at a loss... help !

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Feb 20, 2020
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An aside...most of the baseball parts of the book were decent, or even good. The rest of it is a dumpster fire of bad writing and ridiculous characters. (in my opinion, of course).

I thought the writing was good enough, but aside from the baseball I did not care about the characters at all. I couldnt relate, nor did I want to relate, to any of them. i think I read it because it was on my agent‘s list, so I read it to show support for her clients. Or something like that. And I liked the cover premise, which is usually enough for me to give a book a shot. But like you, once past the baseball, I didn’t care for it, either.

Having said that, I did like the end, because I liked the hopeful idea that getting past a block isn’t because of a giant breakthrough, but by just keeping at it. That’s helped me a few times, and thought it might be relevant here. But as I’ve thought about it, I think there’s a good chance OPs DD just doesn’t want to pitch/play anymore.
 
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Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
I thought the writing was good enough, but aside from the baseball I did not care about the characters at all. I couldnt relate, nor did I want to relate, to any of them. i think I read it because it was on my agent‘s list, so I read it to show support for her clients. Or something like that. And I liked the cover premise, which is usually enough for me to give a book a shot. But like you, once past the baseball, I didn’t care for it, either.

Having said that, I did like the end, because I liked the hopeful idea that getting past a block isn’t because of a giant breakthrough, but by just keeping at it. That’s helped me a few times, and thought it might be relevant here. But as I’ve thought about it, I think there’s a good chance OPs DD just doesn’t want to pitch/play anymore.

I enjoyed the book quite a bit. :eek:
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
She going through puberty? Did her body change recently and did that affect her pitching? I've heard that's a thing -- haven't experienced it yet with any girls I know.

Best of luck to her. I hope she bounces back quickly.
 
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
An aside...most of the baseball parts of the book were decent, or even good. The rest of it is a dumpster fire of bad writing and ridiculous characters. (in my opinion, of course).

I didn’t finish it. Early in the book there was an extended sequence where the main character is rushing to his dorm room to watch the World Series. In September. In the afternoon. I had to flip back a few pages to make sure it wasn’t set in the fifties, but there were cell phones. That sort of thing ruins a read for me.


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Feb 4, 2015
641
28
Massachusetts
Lots of great advice already. Fill her emotional tank, and help her find the fun again.

Changing coaches as well as mechanics can be hard enough, but then also throw in the emotional burden, I'd be surprised if she was successful. My DD went through a down time. She had to walk away from the game for a season to find the love again. Now she's back to her old self... and then some. Because it was her decision and she made that commitment to herself.
 
Jan 14, 2020
81
18
We went through this. Unfortunately, we had to change from an outstanding pitching coach to a not so good one who would also tear my dd down. I apologize for telling some of these things so many times. We stopped going to any pitching coach and then had her throw on her own and have fun. We did things like, I bought some of those cheap folding lawn chairs and she would throw at them trying to knock them down. We took cones and set balls on them and she would throw trying to knock the balls down. We didn't care much about mechanics and she was told, what her first great pitching coach would tell her, to throw as hard as she could. She got it back and then some. You have to laugh some doing this. Go get an ice cream afterwards once in a while and KEEP ALL NEGATIVE COMMENTS TO YOURSELF. At some point, bring in a catcher and tell your dd to knock her down. Forget the other pitches. They will come later after she has built her confidence back. Good luck!

Edited to add:

Be careful of analysis paralysis. That is what she is doing. Instead, fill that negative trend with positive comments.
This right here is gold! She has forgot that its a game and the fun has been sucked out of it for her. We do a lot of the above just to keep it fun (add fruit against a wall is a blast too). We turn music on and just play underhand catch with my lil DD and its amazing what comes of. Good luck pal.
 
May 30, 2017
25
3
We went through this. Unfortunately, we had to change from an outstanding pitching coach to a not so good one who would also tear my dd down. I apologize for telling some of these things so many times. We stopped going to any pitching coach and then had her throw on her own and have fun. We did things like, I bought some of those cheap folding lawn chairs and she would throw at them trying to knock them down. We took cones and set balls on them and she would throw trying to knock the balls down. We didn't care much about mechanics and she was told, what her first great pitching coach would tell her, to throw as hard as she could. She got it back and then some. You have to laugh some doing this. Go get an ice cream afterwards once in a while and KEEP ALL NEGATIVE COMMENTS TO YOURSELF. At some point, bring in a catcher and tell your dd to knock her down. Forget the other pitches. They will come later after she has built her confidence back. Good luck!

Edited to add:

Be careful of analysis paralysis. That is what she is doing. Instead, fill that negative trend with positive comments.
This is extremely insightful and helpful. Thank you so much
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
We have a female pitching coach and I really feel that can be hugely beneficial to some girls. My DD and her pitching coach make "girl jokes" sometimes. Things about getting your butt out of the way and such. It helps the bond, helps keep things fun.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
I guess you didn’t read the part where at said I stopped taking her there

That isn't how it read...

You still have damage control. She has been told over whatever period of time that she sucked... that isn't going to be an overnight fix. You are going to have to go the other way and make it as fun as possible for while.

DD and I go out at about once a week and she just pitches. No lessons, no working on mechanics (unless she wants to). Just go out and throw and have fun with no coaching. We may talk about stuff - generally not softball. Basically I am there to catch the ball and throw it back to her. No pressure. No fixing things.

The other thing she had was a 'just throw it HARD' sign in games. No location, no type of pitch. Just rear back and throw it hard and don't care where it goes. Stops guiding the ball and if her mechanics are ok, it is probably going to be a decent pitch anyway.
 
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Apr 26, 2015
704
43
DD had a teammate this summer who had similar issues (16U). DD would go catch her lessons with her and she was lights out. Threw nothing but strikes. Every pitch was thrown fast and hard and accurate. She would get to a game and every pitch would hit the backstop about 20 feet in the air. Thrown hard still but no where near the zone. DD was not the team's primary catcher - she plays CF, but the coach even agreed to put DD behind the plate to try to alleviate some fear/stress - nothing worked. She would try everything she knew - her pitching coach (who is an amazing guy) - couldn't even imagine that she wasn't lights out in games. He tried everything he knew. The parents tried a sports psychologist, CDB oil, motivational books, everything.

They finally reached out thru social media to Jennie Finch. She put them in touch with a player she knew who experienced the same thing right before trying out for the US Olympic team. It was amazing for DD's teammate to be able to talk to someone and realize that she wasn't alone. Someone who was arguably one of the greats. Sadly DD's friend decided to leave TB for another sport after having a very hard year with the HC - but she did go on to play HS and had a fantastic season!


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