I teach all my pitchers from day one that they have a job. Their job is to produce outs in any form. Pop outs, ground balls, and yes, strikeouts. Every time you step on the rubber you go back to work. You do not think about the last pitch or the next pitch. You receive your pitching instructions, you step off the mound and visualize the outcome, you breathe, and you go to work. You repeat this job over and over again. There is no room for emotion when you repeat patterns. Routine eliminates time to think and dwell. It does not solve all situations and pitchers are human not machines. They are going to experience and show emotion during high pressure situations or poor outings, but for the most part, this helps eliminate the little peaks and valleys from happening.
Mental aspect of pitching
- Thread starter Crystal Brown
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I am not sure I can add much to this but I will try. The mental side of the game can be hugely influenced by the coach your DD plays for. This is the case in all sports IMO.
Does our coach encourage giving it your all and overlooks mistakes? As a softball coach for what seems like forever, it is always the first thing I tell my team. Don't ever ever be afraid to make a mistake. I truly believe it is the biggest thing you can say to a youth. If they think they will get pulled, they will never give it their all and mentally, they are done.
With all that said, we have experience the above in a few sports this year but last weekend it was the first time in softball. My DD started the first bracket game in a big tournament and she was coming off a fairly poor pool game. She is ICE, always has been, and you don't even try to mess with her because she is unbroken (or so I thought). She pitches well first inning and small dinkers are hit to infield. Throws to first are dropped, throws to second are dropped, next thing we no we are down 4-0. Several parents are coming up to me saying she is doing her job but the infield is not awake yet. Second inning, it is a full count and she ends up walking the first batter. She is immediately pulled and for the first time in years, she is shattered. Next pitcher comes in and does an okay job and gives up 2 runs on really good hits. Then she walks a few but remains in the game.
DD is now wondering why 1 walk gets her pulled and really upset (after the game, just keeps a smile during the game like nothing is wrong).
Bottom line is she is scared to death to walk a girl now. She has been the starting pitcher all fall season at multiple showcases and now she is scared to "screw up". That to me is the worst case scenario to put a 14 year old in but it is reality and probably a good lesson (realized down the road). She is now scared to death to throw a ball. Not a good situation IMO but anxious to hear what others think? Never been to a D1 game where the pitcher didn't walk at least one. Bottom line IMO is don't screw with a young girls mind and help make them stronger at this age. Support mistakes and tell them to keep going hard and not to worry about walks. It will pay off for that girl if she isn't afraid to make a mistake. Coaching with fear holds potential back PERIOD. But what the hell do I know........
Does our coach encourage giving it your all and overlooks mistakes? As a softball coach for what seems like forever, it is always the first thing I tell my team. Don't ever ever be afraid to make a mistake. I truly believe it is the biggest thing you can say to a youth. If they think they will get pulled, they will never give it their all and mentally, they are done.
With all that said, we have experience the above in a few sports this year but last weekend it was the first time in softball. My DD started the first bracket game in a big tournament and she was coming off a fairly poor pool game. She is ICE, always has been, and you don't even try to mess with her because she is unbroken (or so I thought). She pitches well first inning and small dinkers are hit to infield. Throws to first are dropped, throws to second are dropped, next thing we no we are down 4-0. Several parents are coming up to me saying she is doing her job but the infield is not awake yet. Second inning, it is a full count and she ends up walking the first batter. She is immediately pulled and for the first time in years, she is shattered. Next pitcher comes in and does an okay job and gives up 2 runs on really good hits. Then she walks a few but remains in the game.
DD is now wondering why 1 walk gets her pulled and really upset (after the game, just keeps a smile during the game like nothing is wrong).
Bottom line is she is scared to death to walk a girl now. She has been the starting pitcher all fall season at multiple showcases and now she is scared to "screw up". That to me is the worst case scenario to put a 14 year old in but it is reality and probably a good lesson (realized down the road). She is now scared to death to throw a ball. Not a good situation IMO but anxious to hear what others think? Never been to a D1 game where the pitcher didn't walk at least one. Bottom line IMO is don't screw with a young girls mind and help make them stronger at this age. Support mistakes and tell them to keep going hard and not to worry about walks. It will pay off for that girl if she isn't afraid to make a mistake. Coaching with fear holds potential back PERIOD. But what the hell do I know........
- Jun 12, 2015
- 3,848
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That stinks, strike3. In our championship last weekend we were way up so he put in one of our second string pitchers. She walked the bases loaded almost right away (we've tried to subtly get her away from her HE instructor with no luck and she has not improved a bit all fall-the instructor actually works for our organization so we have to be VERY subtle). DH is the AC on our team but since our DD pitches he kind of runs the pitching show, calls pitches, etc. He just knows way more about pitching than the other coaches. HC talked briefly about pulling her and DH said no way, you have to let her work through it. Which she did. Did the coach talk at all about his reasoning for pulling her so fast? It's interesting, the difference in my DD's whole demeanor playing for a coach who believes in her.
Thanks for the reply grc. He didn't mention it at all why he and the assistant pulled her. I really think they were still stuck on the earlier pool game that she and I admit had a poor game. It will work itself out and she just has to do her thing and keep the confidence she has always had. The next tournament will tell us more and we will see how short the leash is.
