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Mar 28, 2014
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My kid?
Absolutely:)
Shes no power pitcher. If it doesn't move shes in trouble.
How do you do it? with signals from behind the plate or at the dugout after the inning? I am always hesitant to say/do anything because I don't want to be the Dad coaching from the stands but it drives me bananas to see her get hit when I know a quick adjustment would make it dance.
 
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
113
How do you do it? with signals from behind the plate or at the dugout after the inning? I am always hesitant to say/do anything because I don't want to be the Dad coaching from the stands but it drives me bananas to see her get hit when I know a quick adjustment would make it dance.


Ooooh, good subject matter. I can see your dilemma. You're 100000% right, coaching from the stands is not a good idea. On the flip side, I think a lot of coaches wouldn't be as mad if your instruction did what you said: helped vs. hurt the pitcher. Most of the time, a dad yelling out is distracting and the kid's butt cheeks tighten up, afraid of making mistakes. If you have the opposite effect, you should try some keywords that only she will know. If you yelled out something odd, that nobody else understood but your DD... it might be your only solution. "Bigfoot eats bananas" or something that nobody else would say or even think of, but would mean something special to her and get immediate results might be the way to go. I'm just thinking out loud here.

NOTE: I have no idea if Bigfoot does eat bananas, or where he'd get bananas. You never really hear reports of Bigfoot in countries that grow them so. And why aren't there MORE pictures of Bigfoot in 2020 now that everyone has an Iphone? All the pics are from a 1970's camera, but there hasn't been any with a 2020 IPhone 12 camera and I don't understand why!!!!!!
 
Mar 28, 2014
1,081
113
Ooooh, good subject matter. I can see your dilemma. You're 100000% right, coaching from the stands is not a good idea. On the flip side, I think a lot of coaches wouldn't be as mad if your instruction did what you said: helped vs. hurt the pitcher. Most of the time, a dad yelling out is distracting and the kid's butt cheeks tighten up, afraid of making mistakes. If you have the opposite effect, you should try some keywords that only she will know. If you yelled out something odd, that nobody else understood but your DD... it might be your only solution. "Bigfoot eats bananas" or something that nobody else would say or even think of, but would mean something special to her and get immediate results might be the way to go. I'm just thinking out loud here.

NOTE: I have no idea if Bigfoot does eat bananas, or where he'd get bananas. You never really hear reports of Bigfoot in countries that grow them so. And why aren't there MORE pictures of Bigfoot in 2020 now that everyone has an Iphone? All the pics are from a 1970's camera, but there hasn't been any with a 2020 IPhone 12 camera and I don't understand why!!!!!!
Sunday night she was rolling with a shutout into the 5th and then ran into some trouble. I moved from the 3rd baseline to behind the catcher to see what was happening. She proceeded to K that batter for the 2nd out but I never said a word. On the ride home I asked her if she liked it when I was behind the plate and she said yes. She's 2nd year of 16u and I think that matters because 2 years ago, me being behind the plate would have been a distraction to her. Now I'm more of an analyst for her pitching so I think when she sees me back there it reminds her of some things I tell her when I'm catching her bullpens.



And also I agree. If there were Bigfeet (that's the plural form of Bigfoot, right?) there would be some pics these days.
 
Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
How do you do it? with signals from behind the plate or at the dugout after the inning? I am always hesitant to say/do anything because I don't want to be the Dad coaching from the stands but it drives me bananas to see her get hit when I know a quick adjustment would make it dance.
I dont scream much. At 18u the cake is pretty much baked. If DDs pitches aren't moving I may say something like "get on the blacks (just off the plate). Or "that pitch was too fat".
Or if she gets a foul off on a fat pitch I've been known to say "good outcome, bad pitch".
All that said I may utter one of those phrases evey other game. Her coaches can fix stuff that I can't see.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Mr.B,
Where's that video of bigfoot pitching a screwball?
Lol...
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
I dont scream much. At 18u the cake is pretty much baked. If DDs pitches aren't moving I may say something like "get on the blacks (just off the plate). Or "that pitch was too fat".
Or if she gets a foul off on a fat pitch I've been known to say "good outcome, bad pitch".

I'm trying to give some friendly advice, although experience tells me that you won't it see as such. But, here it is:

It is her show. It is her game. It is her successes and her failures, not yours. It is time to move on.

You have to learn to sit quietly and not interject yourself into the game.

The point of softball, and raising kids, is to create people who don't need you. If you've done your job correctly, she doesn't need your help.
 
Mar 28, 2014
1,081
113
I dont scream much. At 18u the cake is pretty much baked. If DDs pitches aren't moving I may say something like "get on the blacks (just off the plate). Or "that pitch was too fat".
Or if she gets a foul off on a fat pitch I've been known to say "good outcome, bad pitch".
All that said I may utter one of those phrases evey other game. Her coaches can fix stuff that I can't see.
So sounds like we are on the same page. I may say things like "Spin it" or "Drive off quick" in a supportive tone to remind her of some things but that is the extent of it. I say nothing but stuff like "Good pitch" or "Nice spot" if she is rolling. Only difference is her coaches say absolutely nothing specific about mechanics to her during games. There is no "fixing things" going on at all. I think their philosophy is that they want the girls to fix themselves but if that's the case why are their pitching coaches in college? But i digress..........
 
Last edited:
Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
So sounds like we are on the same page. I may say things like "Spin it" or "Drive off quick" in a supportive tone to remind her of some things but that is the extent of it. I say nothing but stuff like "Good pitch" or "Nice spot" if she is rolling. Only difference is her coaches say absolutely nothing specific about mechanics to her during games. There is no "fixing things" going on at all. I think their philosophy is that they want the girls to fix themselves but if that's the case why are their pitching coaches in college? But i digress..........

I've been through most of it already.
Not that I know much but I've seen those parents who constantly yell and give direction. I get where sluggers is coming from thats embarrassing and doesn't help.
DW is my ultimate boss lol
She taught me well. I coached (assistant)DD until last year and was asked to do so since but its time to walk away from that. DW would shut me down if I said a word too much ;)
With that said I can give a sentence or two from time to time. DD will be the first to tell me after the game to stop if it bother her.
 

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