My DD is Jekyll and Hyde: need help!!!

[stephanie]

Ok, not really. She's cuter than him...

Seriously though:
During pre-game warm-ups, DD is nailing her pitches. She can place them on the corners, and her fast ball is FAST, and her change-up is off speed.
Fast-forward to the 1st inning: What change-up? Fast ball looks like it is in slow motion, and she can't seem to throw the ball over the plate.

What are some possible causes of this, and how can I help her?

 

[Goobie]

My personal opinion is that she is probably trying to throw strikes and is afraid to walk a batter. Have you ever heard the fans yelling out "Just throw strikes", "Come on Amy.. you have a good defense behind you... let her hit it", "Don't walk her." My DD's pitching coach once told her that if she makes it through an entire game and never walked a better, then she wasn't trying hard enough and was pitching too safe.

 

[quincy]

What Gobbie said plus:

Every chance I get I have some sucker/volunteer stand up to “bat” when my DD practices. Having a batter in the box seems to make a difference to some pitchers.

 

[SoftSocDad]

Is this happening every game?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

With my students it sometimes means that she doesn't have a real catcher.

 

[RMGC]

My personal opinion is that she is probably trying to throw strikes and is afraid to walk a batter. Have you ever heard the fans yelling out "Just throw strikes", "Come on Amy.. you have a good defense behind you... let her hit it", "Don't walk her." My DD's pitching coach once told her that if she makes it through an entire game and never walked a better, then she wasn't trying hard enough and was pitching too safe.

Goobie: walks are not the measure of effort and effort is not this pitcher's problem. I have seen this many times and it is what I call "performance anxiety". Stephanie, your daughter's concentration on throwing is being disturbed by negative thoughts and the fear of failure. If she can physically do it in practice and warm up, she can do it in a game. She needs to work on her personal demeanor and her confidence. I would recommend that you read some of the sports psychologists who talk about right brain and left brain dominance as it relates to athletic performance. Optimum performance can only be achieved when the player is in the right frame of mind. In layman's terms, the theory of positive thinking.

 

[quincy]

In layman's terms, the theory of positive thinking.

That is a little too deep for me.

I call it the theory of having fun.

If my players are having fun we win, even more fun!

 

[Goobie]

Goobie: walks are not the measure of effort and effort is not this pitcher's problem. I have seen this many times and it is what I call "performance anxiety". Stephanie, your daughter's concentration on throwing is being disturbed by negative thoughts and the fear of failure. If she can physically do it in practice and warm up, she can do it in a game. She needs to work on her personal demeanor and her confidence. I would recommend that you read some of the sports psychologists who talk about right brain and left brain dominance as it relates to athletic performance. Optimum performance can only be achieved when the player is in the right frame of mind. In layman's terms, the theory of positive thinking.

RMGC: I think if you take out all of the big words, you and I are saying the same thing. You call it "performance anxiety".. I call it "afraid to walk a batter." The performance anxiety "could" be a result of being afraid to walk a batter or "failing" in front of her parents or teammates by not "throwing strikes."

btw... I didn't say walks were THE measure of effort as in physical exertion, The comment was related to effort as in not playing it safe. With a 3-2 count, does the pitcher try to paint the corner and get a strike out? Or does she take something off and throw a sure strike down the middle to avoid a walk? In the first instance if she "goes for it" she may miss and give up ball four. In the later example, she would probably avoid the walk, but might end up with the ball at the fence for a double. Her pitching coach was encouraging her to try (effort) and get the batter rather than playing it safe.

 

[stephanie]

I really don't think performance anxiety is her problem...
This is a 10 yo girl who sings in front of hundreds of people at any given time, who is on a performing jumprope team (front row), and who acts professionally for tv and commercials, and LOVES being the center of attention!
That being said: It could very well be a fear of failure thng. She never wants to feel like she has let her team down. She also is on a new team where she hasn't come to trust the catcher's, so I also think that could be the cause. Considering the fact that this is a new issue with her, and just so happens to coincide with joining this new team, I think I'm leaning toward this as being a major culprit....How you solve it, I don't know.

Thanks for the input! I'll let you know how her next game goes!

 

[SoCalDad]

Stephanie,

Your DD is not Jekyll or Hyde. She is a 10 yo. When my DD was in 10u her pitching outings were just like the scene from Bull Durham:

She walked 18.
New league record!
Struck out 18.
Another new league record! In addition she hit the sportswriter, the public address announcer, the bull mascot twice...
Also new league records!

My DD got past the stage and with age came confidence, control and experience. Now when she does strike out 18 she doesn't hit many batters or issue many walks. Keep encouraging her and focus on what she does well AND on how to improve upon what she is doing poorly. Good luck.