Tips to get more pitching time

[grcsftbll]

I'd probably feel differently if my dd weren't so committed. She's only 9, and hasn't even been 9 for 2 months yet. She practices all the time. With me, her dad, the net, etc. I'm only invested in her pitching because she's so invested in it. It's frustrating for sure. I like to think though, that long term her talent and effort will pay off. If not with this team then with another one.

 

[NME22]

Every pitcher who is not the #1 wants to pitch more. Every competitive player works hard to be where they are at. My question would be, how does your DD feel? Does she love the team, coach and players?

If she continues to practice on her own and still loves the game, then there is time to be patient and let her work her way up the depth chart. She's so young, she shouldn't be distracted from the fun of it by counting innings. It will come.

Competition will always be there. Whether there are 3 or 6 pitchers on the team. The coach doesn't have to split innings evenly and probably won't. Especially since a lot of coaching is based on feel.

I understand the anxiety of it all. We want to make sure we are making the right decisions for our kids. My DD is pitching up an age group, so she's starting from the bottom due to her lack of experience. Talent got her in the door. Just have to let the process play out.

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[grcsftbll]

Part of the problem, NME, is we all love the team. It's a really special group of girls, very talented, great chemistry. We're 06, and have been playing 05 teams in A tournaments. Getting beaten, but not badly. We've had some very close games with some extremely good teams. So she's experiencing this very high level of play that is definitely helping her other skills, fielding & hitting. And she has to work harder on pitching too, because location matters a lot when you're facing kids who can really hit. A strike thrown across the plate is going to get you a homerun scored. It makes it much more exciting for everyone. We have an opportunity to move to a solid 05 B team with a coach we've known for years, that a good friend of hers plays on, and she'd likely be the #1 pitcher. Which sounds ideal, huh? But man, we all love the level of play she gets on this team. We'd be playing different tournaments with weaker teams if we made the move.

 

[DNeeld]

So she's experiencing this very high level of play that is definitely helping her other skills, fielding & hitting.........But man, we all love the level of play she gets on this team. We'd be playing different tournaments with weaker teams if we made the move.

Does she want to be a fielder, a hitter, or a pitcher?

If she wants to be a pitcher, get her in the circle. Nothing, absolutely nothing, takes the place of circle time in developing a pitcher.

Also, I don't recall the whole thread, but has the coach said why she is where she is on the depth chart and rotation? If its the old "less experienced" excuse, consider this....Every inning another pitcher gets in the circle is an inning less experience your DD gains.

 

[grcsftbll]

I want her to be what she wants to be. Right now, that's pitcher. But she's only 9. I have a feeling she is in pitching for the long haul, just my gut reaction. But she may decide next year she doesn't want to pitch, who knows. That's why I think the greater challenge with fielding and hitting (due to better, faster pitches) is still important too. She's too young to know what she wants to play next year, much less when she's 14 or 15. We played one B tourney with our team and it was a LOT of walking, and not much action for the fielders outside of one team we played. But I totally get the importance of circle time too, and that is what she wants most right now. She said last night though, she'd rather stay on our team and pick up to pitch. So, maybe we'll just go that route. Shouldn't be hard to find opportunities for her around here, lots of teams.

ETA - sorry, missed your question about the why. No, I don't know why she gets less. I do plan to find out. I've been trying to let my husband handle it since he's AC but he's pussyfooting around about it (DH - if you read this, sorry, lol). We've got one tourney left this year, and I don't want to hurt her chances of pitching in it. So I plan to bring it up after that tourney, to discuss his plans for the spring. Honestly I don't expect it to go anywhere, which is a big part of why DH hasn't bothered. He says it will do no good. But I feel like it's negligent to not at least have the conversation. He did say he'd like to see an even rotation, coach seemed to agree, then next tournament skipped over my dd. So my DH might be right about talking not doing any good.

 

[DNeeld]

He did say he'd like to see an even rotation, coach seemed to agree, then next tournament skipped over my dd. So my DH might be right about talking not doing any good.

That part would concern me, honestly.

Any coach worth their salt should be able to have a frank and honest conversation about your kid, explain the expectations and point out what your kid needs to do to get more play time, circle time, etc.

Of course, there is a time and place for such conversations and with one tournament left, I agree with your idea to take care of it after and ask about the plans for spring.

That said, if the coach can't give you a straight or honest answer, I don't see the situation ever improving.

Best of luck!

 

[Axe]

grcsftball, My DD was part of a 3 pitcher rotation as a 9 year old. The coach was actually very fair to all of them but as a bunch of players new to travel playing against better teams they just didn't advance very far in tournaments so there really weren't enough innings for anyone to be happy. My DD loves to pitch and being in the circle is what she cares about (she's now 11).

It's a familiar story. Coach coaches a successful 8U All-Star team from a big program. They beat up on a bunch of other All-Star teams so they think they are ready to run with the big boys. They have great intentions of getting everyone experience and rotating players. When they start getting thumped by older teams in tournaments the coaches forget about all that experience stuff and try to win with their "experienced" pitchers who they hope can strike out enough batters to cover up for an inexperienced defense. It's human nature but it doesn't help the younger pitcher who maybe isn't a flamethrower and needs help from her teammates to make outs. This is not a shot at your team or coach, it's just the way it tends to play out. I've been in the coaches shoes and the pitchers parents shoes. Getting 3-4 innings in the circle per tournament won't help your DD much. Play out the fall season and take a look at your objectives. If it's to face top quality competition at any position you might be in the right place, if it's to get circle time you may choose to look around. There must be a thousand 10U travel teams in the Northwest corridor of the Atlanta suburbs.

 

[Perfect Circle]

Pitchers gotta pitch. @ 9, I would focus on getting (awarding) her, her own catcher. Do not except a setback for your efforts this year. Since your didn't make headway with this HC, then find the parents of a player wanting to develop their catcher. Split the cost of a NECC DVD.... Have Your DD learn it tooo..Spend the off season "Recharging the Battery" Be a EVERREADY ++AA Re-Chargeable GOLD. Then approach tryouts as a Battery Only. Have the Battery being top hitters too....JMHO

 

[Rocketech1]

Pitchers gotta pitch. @ 9, I would focus on getting (awarding) her, her own catcher. Do not except a setback for your efforts this year. Since your didn't make headway with this HC, then find the parents of a player wanting to develop their catcher. Split the cost of a NECC DVD.... Have Your DD learn it tooo..Spend the off season "Recharging the Battery" Be a EVERREADY ++AA Re-Chargeable GOLD. Then approach tryouts as a Battery Only. Have the Battery being top hitters too....JMHO

Classic Perfect Circle post....you are one of a kind...always an entertaining read...

 

[grcsftbll]

Wow, Axe. Coach was an 8U All Stars coach, very good team that beat just about everybody. You nailed that one.