Parents Callig Pitches from Stands

[Sparky Guy]

Had the DD's HS coach say something to the DD one time that she thought I was calling pitches. I was pissed when she told me that. The next time I saw the coach I took her to the side and let her know in no uncertain terms that I have NEVER called a pitch from outside the fence in my life. My DD played for the same travel program the HS coach did when she was younger and I reminded the coach of that. She knows that type of non-sense is not allowed there. I think I kind of surprised the coach by heading off the BS at the very start. The coach never said another thing after that.

After I thought back on it, the incident happened after a game when the regular starting catcher was not behind the plate. The catcher had 5 passed balls, 4 dropped 3rd's and the DD was shaking her off all game long. She couldn't handle the movement and the speed. My guess is she tried to cover her own poor performance with an excuse. Needless to say the coach never let her catch for my DD during a game again.

 

[MTR]

USSSA
RULE 11. SPORTSMANSHIP
Sec 2. A coach, player, substitute, attendant or other bench personnel shall not:
I. Be outside the designated dugout/bench or bullpen areas unless they are a
batter, runner, on deck batter, in the coach’s box or one of the nine
players on defense.

ASA
Section 12. DUGOUT CONDUCT
Coaches, players, substitutes, or other bench personnel shall not be outside
the designated bench dugout area except when the rule allows or justified by
the umpire.

These would not apply unless it could be interpreted that the parent was a coach or bench personnel.

 

[chinamigarden]

A parent trying to "play the game" instead of his DD. Pathetic.

Another helicopter parent. I guess he goes to the bathroom with her and to make sure she uses the right amount of toilet paper.

My DD#3 was playing in a HS tennis double match, and the parents on the other team were telling their what to hit (overhead, backhand, forehand, volley, etc.) for every shot.

Thats funny right there. Geez dad the ball was on my forehand side and I was about to try to hit it backhanded toward the fence when you reminded me to hit it forehand and it went over the net.

 

[SAMBU101010]

My thoughts after 8 years of Coaching and observing from afar my daughter pitch in LL, Travel, and High School. If the coach allows it, then I would not care where the pitches were called from but believe that all the pitches MUST go through the catcher for safety reasons if nothing else(especially when change-ups are called). Also, when you are talking the older age groups, the catcher must know what is coming, and if she initiates the pitch call by giving a sign, the infielders also have an opportunity to get the sign, and even relay them to the outfield. If you watch any upper division travel and college teams, you know that all 9 on the field know what each pitch that is being thrown will be. This often separates the good, from the great teams.

 

[Lozza]

The only person who should be calling pitches is the catcher. Period. Not the coach and definitely not the parent.

I know a parent here does it and it drives me crazy. Except last week he stood in my line of vision while I was in the box. I knew his signals (as I've had LOOOOONG discussions with him over it and why it's bad) Change up was put on. Hit a three bagger. Yelled 'Thanks dad!' ;-p

 

[dadonachair]

I never want to see the calls come from the stands. The game is played inside the fence. Not from the bleachers! Calls come from the catcher. At younger ages not many kids are able to call every pitch of a game. So pitches should be called by the coach then relayed through the catcher. This is HOW a kid learns to call a game. As they learn more then the coach should let the reins loose a little bit at a time.

 

[quincy]

I have been following this thread because DD is entering the year being able to hit her spots with her FB and what appears to be an OK CU. Do not know who her Manager is going to be, nor who will be her Teammates. If past history is indication she is going to have 4 or 5 catchers, this is a Rec. League.

I have an open mind with the Manager but do not confidence in all the Cs being able to start calling a game. Back to the Parent calling Pitches, I know my DD has a lot better time if I keep my mouth shut. Her older friend across the streets father calls the pitches for his DD when she pitches, from the stands. She was the best pitcher in our League and everyone seemed OK with it. Somehow me yelling Alice, Alice when I think she should throw a CU seems like a bad idea and not because me yelling my head off to get hear attention might be a slight tell. Her looking to me before every pitch is even less attractive, to both of us.

Going into the Year I think DD will need to be self-reliant and call her own game. If needs be she will single the C what she is throwing and where. Obviously could change, heck since we do not know her Teamates she might not even get to pitch.

Radar gun in one hand, keeping stats on the iPhone in the other, yelling at the umpire, all get too confusing for me.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

When my DD was a freshman, the senior pitcher had her dad calling the pitches. He had a DD catching, too. I pointed it out to our coach and she didn't care.

So, when my DD became the pitcher, no one called the pitches.

I watched several HS games today and the coaches were calling something, but out of 4 games I saw the pitch calling wasn't very effective. I believe that it is an art and not easy to pick up in just a few seasons as head coach.

 

[shockcoach]

What are the generla rules against a parent calling pitches from the stands in travel ball and highschool ball?

I'm with most others. If I see it, the parent gets an earful from me and the pitcher gets to see the bench. A player cannot serve two masters, and during practice and games, that would be the coach.

 

[Lozza]

Quincy why is your daughter so much smarter than all the other children out thee? What makes her that much better to call the pitches than the catcher who is the same age?

You are setting your daughter up to fail because you are having her perform a job she is not meant to. Pitchers need to understand why a certain pitch is being called. Part of that is to shake it off if it's wrong. (the amount of times my catcher calls a change up when a batter is nowhere near the ball is infuriating. I've tried explaining to her that if someone can't touch the ball then don't slow it down for them. Every time it happens I get crunched) But it's the catcher's job to call a game. Who cares if they get it wrong? They're LEARNING. That's the whole point of the game.

The best catcher I've seen at calling games was calling perfect games at 14. Why? Because she was taught to call from a very young age.