Never ending tryouts?

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Jun 15, 2013
42
0
Alot the problem is daddy ball. You have a dad who has a kid that always plays SS, 2nd, etc. no matter what. Then they go out and try to find pitching. Good luck. Most good pitchers know that scenario well by the time they are 16u or even 14u and steer clear. Your better pitchers don't want to be the 1 ace on the team. At high levels most want to be on a team with 1-2 other quality pitchers. It kills me to see posts that say we have a solid defense. We just need that A level bracket pitcher to compete. No...you need 2, minimum.
 
Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
Some great points mentioned so far.
Daddy ball does impact the sport, but this year there are many teams without parent coaches looking for pitching. Being around the sport for a while I think the fault of the lack well developed pitchers falls on the parents of young pitchers.
I was speaking to the PC for a D1 school in our area. She was sharing that the 2021 class of pitchers is leanest class in years. There just aren't many super polished pitchers out there. Here's my opinion for what it's worth.

5 years ago when DD was 9 she was on a 10u "select" team. She was a younger kid but tall for her age with long arms and she really wanted to pitch. On the team were 5 other girls who also wanted to pitch. I would rank my kid about the 4th or 5th best. She wasn't very good and got very little circle time even though she always asked, coaches said sure one day... I can remember like it was yesterday having the conversation on our Deck with a cigar in hand about how life is not always fair but for her to know one thing. If you work your butt off and are the best pitcher in the area everyone will see it and the coaches will have to play you. They will be forced to play you.

She said she wanted to do it and that she would work as hard as she needed to in order to become a great pitcher. At that point I began the search for pitching coaches and searched for great position coaches to surround her with. We read everything we could to learn about the sport. Attended college games, she wrote letters to coaches asking for advice. When advice was given she took it as marching orders and worked her tail off since that night on the deck.
Today she is pitching on an "A" team and not one of the 5 kids who pitched on that 10U team even pitch anymore. Some had so much potential but were missing a key ingredient in my opinion. Either the parents or the kid lacked the commitment to do what it takes to be a great pitcher.
I see it everyday. Neighborhood kid's parents text or call.. What can my kid do to become a better pitcher. These are kids with great promise and talent.
I share everything we learned over the past 5 years. I give them all of the information... and after speaking to 12-15 in the last year I can say with certainty that just 1 family has followed the advice that we were blessed to have learned and that kid is doing so well DD is worried that she may compete with her for the HS starting spot.
Many kids want to be a great pitcher and have the ability to do it... but it takes a ton of work and sacrifice. Last night while DD was pitching and hitting at the fields she was getting texts from a few friends who were at the local school carnival. They wanted her to join them. I asked her if she wanted a ride. She said "not till after I finish my work". She was never a super motivated kid but that coach at 10U stoked a fire in her and a will to prove him wrong that still burns today. His team was short a pitcher a few weeks back so he called to ask if she could help them. She accepted the offer to help and really shined. He said to me "Wow that kid is special, she's come so far" I said "thank you for that". Not sure he knew the real reason I was thanking him :)
 
Last edited:
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
Seems like there is a huge pitching shortage everywhere. There are very few A/Gold level pitchers. And not an abundance of lower level pitching. In my area there are so many teams the dilution of talent is horrible. A lot of guys that want to coach, a lot of egos, and a lot of daddy ball. Ruining the competition.

It is very hard to find good pitching, it seems. We have one, my DD, which of course could scare off people. DD of the HC is a pitcher. But as good as she is (and she's pretty darn good), she doesn't want to pitch all the time or even most of the time. She was our only bracket pitcher last year and she hated it. To the point that I worry she may want to stop pitching. She loves getting tag outs at 2B or 3B which of course, you don't get to do if you're pitching. She loves the fielding as much as the pitching. But you can't convince people of that who don't know you and I know I would be very hesitant to put mine on a team where the HC's daughter was a pitcher. So I get it.

But we're not even looking for an A level bracket pitcher. If she's good enough to hang in B level bracket games we're happy. We're pretty confident about developing girls the right way. Give a decent B level pitcher a bunch of circle time and next year or the year after you have an A level pitcher, if she's got the talent for it. We're thinking long term. It is stressful though!
 
Jul 15, 2015
87
18
What a great thread and finding the discussion on pitchers fascinating (as our DD is one). Rain, believe it or not in August, has been creating havoc with our area tryouts. Feel bad for the coaches & players trying to get teams solidified but can't.
 
Dec 8, 2015
249
18
Philadelphia, PA
Some had so much potential but were missing a key ingredient in my opinion. Either the parents or the kid lacked the commitment to do what it takes to be a great pitcher.
I see it everyday. Neighborhood kid's parents text or call.. What can my kid do to become a better pitcher. These are kids with great promise and talent.
I share everything we learned over the past 5 years. I give them all of the information... and after speaking to 12-15 in the last year I can say with certainty that just 1 family has followed the advice that we were blessed to have learned and that kid is doing so well DD is worried that she may compete with her for the HS starting spot.
Many kids want to be a great pitcher and have the ability to do it... but it takes a ton of work and sacrifice.

I get those same calls, usually during the tournament softball season. When I tell them all the work it requires, they never follow through. It's a huge commitment from not only the player, but the parent.
 
May 15, 2014
135
16
Atlanta
Most of the main orgs have already had tryouts around here but we have smaller orgs still looking and still holding workouts locally. I will say I always heard when you get to the older age groups, the number of teams will start to dwindle. I can say that I haven't seen that yet because it seems like there are a lot of "new" 14U teams. Yes, most teams are still looking for a pitcher too.
 
Apr 20, 2015
961
93
Some great points mentioned so far.
Daddy ball does impact the sport, but this year there are many teams without parent coaches looking for pitching. Being around the sport for a while I think the fault of the lack well developed pitchers falls on the parents of young pitchers.
I was speaking to the PC for a D1 school in our area. She was sharing that the 2021 class of pitchers is leanest class in years. There just aren't many super polished pitchers out there. Here's my opinion for what it's worth.

5 years ago when DD was 9 she was on a 10u "select" team. She was a younger kid but tall for her age with long arms and she really wanted to pitch. On the team were 5 other girls who also wanted to pitch. I would rank my kid about the 4th or 5th best. She wasn't very good and got very little circle time even though she always asked, coaches said sure one day... I can remember like it was yesterday having the conversation on our Deck with a cigar in hand about how life is not always fair but for her to know one thing. If you work your butt off and are the best pitcher in the area everyone will see it and the coaches will have to play you. They will be forced to play you.

She said she wanted to do it and that she would work as hard as she needed to in order to become a great pitcher. At that point I began the search for pitching coaches and searched for great position coaches to surround her with. We read everything we could to learn about the sport. Attended college games, she wrote letters to coaches asking for advice. When advice was given she took it as marching orders and worked her tail off since that night on the deck.
Today she is pitching on an "A" team and not one of the 5 kids who pitched on that 10U team even pitch anymore. Some had so much potential but were missing a key ingredient in my opinion. Either the parents or the kid lacked the commitment to do what it takes to be a great pitcher.
I see it everyday. Neighborhood kid's parents text or call.. What can my kid do to become a better pitcher. These are kids with great promise and talent.
I share everything we learned over the past 5 years. I give them all of the information... and after speaking to 12-15 in the last year I can say with certainty that just 1 family has followed the advice that we were blessed to have learned and that kid is doing so well DD is worried that she may compete with her for the HS starting spot.
Many kids want to be a great pitcher and have the ability to do it... but it takes a ton of work and sacrifice. Last night while DD was pitching and hitting at the fields she was getting texts from a few friends who were at the local school carnival. They wanted her to join them. I asked her if she wanted a ride. She said "not till after I finish my work". She was never a super motivated kid but that coach at 10U stoked a fire in her and a will to prove him wrong that still burns today. His team was short a pitcher a few weeks back so he called to ask if she could help them. She accepted the offer to help and really shined. He said to me "Wow that kid is special, she's come so far" I said "thank you for that". Not sure he knew the real reason I was thanking him :)
My kid would be one of those 10u kids that had great potential and doesn't pitch any more, but for us it was because she wanted to keep playing basketball and soccer. She's tremendously gifted athletically and can keep up with her regular positions and hitting and still play her other sports but pitching is like a fourth sport. I really admire those kids for their dedication.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
May 6, 2015
2,397
113
My kid would be one of those 10u kids that had great potential and doesn't pitch any more, but for us it was because she wanted to keep playing basketball and soccer. She's tremendously gifted athletically and can keep up with her regular positions and hitting and still play her other sports but pitching is like a fourth sport. I really admire those kids for their dedication.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

sounds familiar (although I will not say tremendously gifted ), DD a couple of years ago wanted to pitch, did OK in rec as 8yo in 10u ball, saw in travel tryouts this summer she was not on a level with the girls wanting to pitch. I had been telling her for some time she needed to throw a lot more, tried to get her out in driveway as much as possible, drive was not there. she also plays soccer and swims, so some of it was wanting some down time, which I get. She still catches, and is playing GK for soccer (little miss I wanna be in control). I think that is enough. since she has stated she will not play rec next spring, I believe she has pitched her last inning.
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
Up north (Canada) tryouts start this evening. DD is a little worried this year, she didn't have a great year after a very promising and rewarding 1st (MVP at her Provincial (Same as state to you folks down south :)) championships). I call it a sophomore slump. TBH she didn't put in enough extra time to work on her game, took too much for granted IMO. Worked her tail off in team practices, but didn't spend enough time practicing outside of that. Anyway, since season end she has been working hard and she looks really solid, I don't think she's ever looked better and I feel confident that she will make any tier 1 team in the area she tries out for. However, she is struggling with her confidence a little, just a little bit. I would like to have a little light hearted chat with her before this evening and try to pump her up a little.. I know my kid better than anybody, but I curious if I could gain some insight into what may of worked for you in the past.... and more importantly what not to talk about, :)
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Up north (Canada) tryouts start this evening. DD is a little worried this year, she didn't have a great year after a very promising and rewarding 1st (MVP at her Provincial (Same as state to you folks down south :)) championships). I call it a sophomore slump. TBH she didn't put in enough extra time to work on her game, took too much for granted IMO. Worked her tail off in team practices, but didn't spend enough time practicing outside of that. Anyway, since season end she has been working hard and she looks really solid, I don't think she's ever looked better and I feel confident that she will make any tier 1 team in the area she tries out for. However, she is struggling with her confidence a little, just a little bit. I would like to have a little light hearted chat with her before this evening and try to pump her up a little.. I know my kid better than anybody, but I curious if I could gain some insight into what may of worked for you in the past.... and more importantly what not to talk about, :)

Best advice is to have fun and hustle, both of which are things she can control. Do that, and her abilities and results of her hard work will be evident.
 

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