School ball Coach not pitching DD

[sluggers]

D!! But don't be confused into believing it helps with the next level, it doesn't.

I disagree with you. How many times does a college softball game go 7 innings? Almost all. How many time does a TB game go 7 innings? Almost none. An extra inning game is rare as hen's teeth in TB.

TB is 4 to 5 innings a game. I've coached some that went *TWO* innings. There is always a time limit, and many tournaments have a drop dead time limit. HS ball is 7 innings, sometimes 9 or 10....whether the game takes 60 minutes or 3 hours.

Throwing the extra two or three innings changes the dynamics of pitching. The pitcher has to be smarter and stronger in a 7 inning game.

Kids who have only pitched TB often get shelled in the 6th inning of a HS game. They aren't physically or mentally prepared for it They have no idea how to pitch after the batters have seen them two or three times.

The competition level in HS varies, just like it does in TB.
Norco in SoCal could play with any TB team in the US.

FINALLY:

Softball is supposed to be played, not practiced.

These kids should play every chance they get...because when softball is over, it is *OVER*. After college, 99.99% of these girls will never play a fastpitch game again.

Depriving the kids of even one game when they are playing makes no sense.

 

[joe720]

You'll find that in school ball. DD is a freshman and on varsity. First game of the year other two pitchers we struggling a bit. Gave up the lead. Pulled my DD out of the field and put her in the circle, no warmups, no nothing. Just the 5 pitches. Hasn't pitched in a game in 18 months (doesn't pitch for her TB team anymore). First inning was rocky as she had 0 warm ups. Just need to muscle through it. Not going to see the best coaching in school ball.

 

[black17]

Coaches do the best they can, but often times they are wrong or just don't share the player development philosophy. Despite the frustration, that's actually ok. Typically a coaches style works for the 'I just want to win' or the 'player development first' kids, but never both. Someone is always going to be disappointed.

You just need to keep improving and not worry about the perceived slights. There are lots of ways to improved outside of a game. If you just keep showing what you can do, the PT will come. You CANNOT make excuses though. If your DD got her shot and didn't do as good as she had hoped, own it, and keep pushing. Anything else just puts you further away from the field. Trust me, I see it with unfortunate kids every single day.

Without a big long story, my DD played MS ball and the HS coach told the MS coach he didn't think my DD would play varsity as a 9th grader much because in his opinion she couldn't hit. Well, she is a senior now and has started every single varsity game all 4 years, set several school hitting records in her very first season, and has been the team offensive MVP every season and team MVP and 1st team all state as a sophomore. Her junior season was canceled by the virus but I expected the same. This season statistically is her best season yet. Point is, she can hit. Always has been. The coach just didn't see her at her best and that happens. I wouldn't put too much stock in today. Show you are up for the challenge tomorrow and when given your shot, show your best consistently.

 

[Recent Addict]

To the OP:
Outside of how terrible most MS ball is, please take this as a learning opportunity for DD. Coach obviously did something that shook her confidence and didn't prepare her for the task she was expected to accomplish. DD's job is to now, during a practice not right after the game, approach the coach after practice and explain the issue. Our MS coaches are teachers looking for some extra cash, they don't really know about the universe of TB and all of its intricacies. They think if a girl can throw strikes, she can do it when she rolls out of bed.

The worst thing that could happen from DD talking to the coach is that she doesn't get more innings without a warm up. But, she will now have learned how to deal with difficult situations and maybe difficult people. This won't be the last time this happens.

Also, this is DDs journey through school ball. The responsibility is hers to have these discussions. Your responsibility is to support her no matter the outcome. Try not to slant her opinion by complaining about the coach or the team within ear shot (trying to get DW to understand this part has been my toughest challenge)

 

[radness]

coach threw her into a scrimmage without notice or warmup or anything...
frazzled her as it was unexpected. She's used to a thorough warmup before entering the circle.





Actually ran over to me for a quick warm up worried but there wasn't time as she needed to jump out there right away. It was between innings - didn't give her the heads up until they were heading back out on the field after their offensive side of the inning. Kind of looked at the clip board and say something like "ok you go here, you go there..." Also a situation where she wanted to impress the new girls and the community around her. Needless to say she didn't do well...walked several. Weird thing is the coach was calling balls and strikes from behind second base. DD and catcher both thought some of the calls were off...I couldn't tell from my vantage point but they looked close. Was agony watching the whole thing go down. Serious blow to her confidence. He just let her walk and walk and walk those batters with the occasional "come on, just dig down and throw strikes". Now, he's not pitching her at all and ended up putting her in center field. As an athlete she does well out there but I know it upsets her. The REAL problem is it seems to have creeped in to her performance on her travel team.

The other thing I should mention is she's gone through a mechanics change from HE to IR this last year and strike percentage has gone down. Before this incident though she's managed to make things work, but after this incident it just seems things started to fall apart.

What do I do? Anything? How do I talk to her? What's my attitude here? I remain composed and positive with her on the outside but inside its killing me. Hoping for some sage advice from those who have been there, done that.

Did i read this correctly?
Coach did not have pitcher/dd warm up pitching at all befor the game?
Maybe a one off oops?
Or possibly coach is on the low end of their learning curve trying.
Either way,
That is both the answer and moral to this story.

Best case scenario is treat the coach like they are the smartest best coach in the world.
And remind them in
QUESTION FORM
Do pitchers usually get to warm up pitching befor games?
If i were a pitcher...i would ask that every game day the immediate moment i saw the coach at pre-game warms ups.

Things like this
Are why players become/recognize they are smarter than coaches.
And often the players thinking for themselves becomes most important.

Stick to your daughters individual sb plan.
Dont let any school ball or teams coach be an obstacle blocking her.
Learn how to maneuver threw obstacles!!!!
Life skills!

 

[Orange Socks]

The only thing that needs to happen is, OP DD needs to have a conversation with the coach that includes her warm up process. If she doesn't get a proper warm up, it could damage her arm and guess what! She won't perform to her best abilities. That conversation should have happened immediately if not at the first day of practice. When I was coaching I knew all of my pitcher's pre game warm up routine. Some need 5 minutes, others need 15 minutes or more. I had to prepare for that. The pitchers have to be in constant communication with the coach.

Let's be real. The coach and pitcher's relationship is usually the closest on the team with the catcher right up there. The pitcher is the princess in the middle of the circle. Geez, we put a circle around the pitcher which automatically makes her special. The pitcher cannot be afraid to talk to the coach about all things pitching including warm ups, pitch selection, pitching duration, what's working or not working, etc.

Have the conversation now. Ready...Break!

 

[radness]

This topic post, as previously mentioned, presents a rock and hard place for the pitcher~
Since it can help induce injury to not be warmed up correctly,

There is the concern/question
Should a pitcher step in and pitch not warmed up?!
Hmmm might say
'Would luv to coach, but i'm not warmed up.' ?!?!?

What say yooz dfp?

 

[Recent Addict]

Btw, DDs JV coach never warms up the pitcher. Had her #1 on the bench when #2 was struggling. #1 got 5 warm up pitches on the field before game play. Oh and she also borrows a players Ghost Advanced to hit fungos to the outfield.

 

[texasck1]

DD just finished her MS season up. At her school, small private school, it is volunteer coaches and high level rec at best. This year AC was the other pitchers dad, so my DD didn't get much mound time. She goes into MS ball with the attitude that it is a chance to play ball with her friends and rep her school. It's her chance to have fun. She played 1B and taught as much as she could to her teammates. She complained a couple times about mound time, but nothing more than "I wish I could get a little more time".

Also, my DD has been taught and understands that if she is playing in a game, she needs to warmup, whether she is pitching or not. It is her responsibility to make sure that happens, even if she has to do it on her own into a net or the fence, if the coach won't give her a catcher. It's her arm and her responsibility.

I would have a conversation with the coach about the importance of warmup for a pitchers health. I believe that players should talk with coaches, but when a players health is involved, it is also my responsibility as a parent to reinforce the safety concern.

 

[uncdrew]

It's tough.

Best approach for middle school is to have all the pitchers warm up before the game starts, so all are "ready-ish" in emergencies.

You can have your DD take this into her own hands and just grab a catcher and warm up some as other girls are doing whatever they do to warm up.