newbie Dad needs advice on 9 yr. old pitcher

[Momo'sDad]

Did she join the TB team? Or is she still in rec? There's generally a huge difference in the overall quality of the pitching between the two. If she wants to pitch right now, then she should be playing rec ball.

My DD has been pitching for a little under a year and she still has control issues. On days when she's hot and has gotten a great warmup, though, she can fire 8 strikes in a row in a practice situation. What I'm seeing as the weeks go by, however, is that the 'window of wildness' seems to gradually be shrinking. She'll still throw the occasional whoa! ball, but it happens a lot less now than when she started and you should be experiencing this, too. It's normal.

It's so hard to effectively judge a pitcher's potential at age 8-9. The bodies they have at that age are going to be gone in 4 years. A kid with all the desired physical gifts at age 9 might be totally passed up in size and strength by another kid in just a few years. But if your DD wants to put in the work, give her the opportunity to do so. Not every kid is going to become an ace pitcher, but the one sure way to guarantee failure is to not even try.

Chasing balls is Daddy's job, so smile and enjoy it while it lasts, because someday, she won't be throwing the wild ones anymore and I suspect a whole lot of dads miss it more than they let on.

 

[stv]

Enjoy

lhowser

At ages 9 - 11 (your dd is 9) it is not wasted time to have her try to pitch even if she doesn't turn out to be one when she gets older. it is fun

I think the first few years are the best.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Chasing balls is Daddy's job,

Nope!!! It's the pitcher's job to track down errant balls. It's a great motivator for them to concentrate on their mechanics. I tell all my students it's their job to chase their bad pitches. Not mom or dad.

so smile and enjoy it while it lasts, because someday, she won't be throwing the wild ones anymore and I suspect a whole lot of dads miss it more than they let on.

It seems like it goes by in the blink of an eye. The moment my daughter threw her last pitch in her last college game my mind was like a flashback scene in a Hollywood movie. It went from when she first started at 10 years old all the way through college as that pitch was thrown. The tens of thousands of pitches I caught over the years. It felt like it was just yesterday when she started. I miss it, she doesn't. I do still get to catch for her when she goes back to pitch in the alumni game each fall.

 

[Sparky Guy]

I think the first few years are the best.

It's actually the last few years that are the best. It's when they become good at it and you see them succeed on the field after all the hard work that was put in over the years. It's when they make the game theirs and not yours anymore is when it becomes fun. You then turn into just another spectator who needs to sit back and enjoy it all.

 

[NVfishing]

My oldest DD was slow and had horrible mechanics when she first started pitching. It was rec league and she was 8. Since she showed an interest the coach would play her 1 or 2 innings per game. She practiced a lot. Second year in rec she was much better and had some shining moments on the rubber. It was also the first year we started playing TB. She was 2nd base and SS and still kept pitching. 3rd year in her coaches kept telling her if she continued practice in pitching she would get a shot. Nothing, not a whiff of the mound in TB. 4th year into playing and we had a new coach that told all the pitchers to be ready at the 1st tournament. Saturday play and she didn't see the mound. Sunday came and the top pitchers struggled. One pitcher injured her arm. DD finally got the call to the rubber. We were winning the game 6-5 when she got on the rubber. We had just given up 5 runs in the previous inning between two pitchers. My DD shut that team down and we won the game 9-5. Next game DD got the start and we beat that team 9-1. My DD has never looked back and she's been the starter ever since. Of all the top pitchers we had when DD started in 10u none are left. If your DD has the drive to succeed you should keep practicing with her. It will be the best time you can spend with your DD. My DD trusts me and we have a very close relationship. I don't think we would be nearly as close if we didn't have such a bond. Enjoy your time together.

 

[stv]

It's actually the last few years that are the best. It's when they become good at it and you see them succeed on the field after all the hard work that was put in over the years. It's when they make the game theirs and not yours anymore is when it becomes fun. You then turn into just another spectator who needs to sit back and enjoy it all.

I do look forward to that. I hope she chooses to stay on that road.

 

[Sparky Guy]

I do look forward to that. I hope she chooses to stay on that road.

A word of advice to you. Take pictures, take videos, thousands of them. Be a pest with the camera. You'll find yourself looking back through them from time to time and smiling inside. It only happens once. There is no reset button.

Your daughter won't appreciate them when she's younger. When she's older she will.

 

[dbias]

It's actually the last few years that are the best. It's when they become good at it and you see them succeed on the field after all the hard work that was put in over the years. It's when they make the game theirs and not yours anymore is when it becomes fun. You then turn into just another spectator who needs to sit back and enjoy it all.

things that give the greatest satisfaction are those we have the most emotional investment in. my dd and I are at the critical point in her playing days as a 14yo hs freshman. she loves the game and has more than put her time and effort into her game. she has been going at it all winter with hs "conditioning" on tues, thur, and sat with pitching/hitting lessons on wed and tb practice friday from 9-1130 pm..!. Even with all this practicing going on she still drags me out on sunday to work on some pitches, and backhands (plays third when not in circle). anyway after all these years of me and her and the bucket of balls... she now pops into the hs practice building for two and a half hours and comes out all smiles.... this is the point where i am stepping back now and i actually look forward to it. since she was nine i have coached or helped on all teams she has played for.. but no more. the hs coaches are well respected locally and they love her. ive been told she will be pushing the five more senior pitchers for the one or two spot! Her speed is a bit faster than the others and her change is awesome, but the main thing they tell me they like is her attitude. she is first to get in batting cage, pitching time, fielding drills etc. so i guess she did listen to me after all. lol so yes i think the latter years are the best as you get to enjoy the fruit of your efforts.
'

 

[aaedad]

Dont forget to wear a cup.........shin guards are a requirement also....and plan to get stitches at least once.....

 

[dbias]

Dont forget to wear a cup.........shin guards are a requirement also....and plan to get stitches at least once.....

never have worn a cup. i sit back on the bucket and make sure my jewels aren't hanging over the front edge... now that would hurt.