Very frustrating night at the ball park

[southernchopper]

My 11year old DD is a pitcher that has been at it for 9mths now. Only been serious for the last 6. She has worked very hard at it. She has done well enough to get plenty of circle time with her travel team. Even in champ games. She ended her travel season in July. Since then she has moved to middle school ball. That brought on a lot of changes. She went from a step style pitcher to a leap and drag, gone from an 11 inch ball to a 12, went from 35' to 43'.( has to play on varsity field and school is to cheap to have a portable rubber at 40') She has handled all the changes like no big deal even if its only been almost 2 months. She pitches I catch every 2 days for an hour, not including warming up. Her choice. So she has put in the work. Monday night we threw and she was hitting every spot I could call. I was thinking WOW. She has figured it all out. Wednesday we threw wasnt as pretty as earlier in the week. Last night she was supposed to start, she didn't. Got a call in the last inning. She warmed up like she is suppossed to and it was time. She couldnt hit nothing. Was missing bad high and in the dirt. I could tell it was shaking her up bad. Stopped leaping and went to stepping. Started leaning forward and guiding the ball. Still all over the place. Looking at me for help in the stands, nothing I could do from there. Finally made it threw the inning. They won the game but she was really upset and embarressed. It was awful. Later that night she said daddy I want to pitch everyday until that never happens again. Sorry for the long vent but if being a pitchers dad is going to come with all these ups and then extreme lows Im going to have a heart attack. I need to take up golf.

 

[rdbass]

My 11year old DD is a pitcher that has been at it for 9mths now. Only been serious for the last 6. She has worked very hard at it. She has done well enough to get plenty of circle time with her travel team. Even in champ games. She ended her travel season in July. Since then she has moved to middle school ball. That brought on a lot of changes. She went from a step style pitcher to a leap and drag, gone from an 11 inch ball to a 12, went from 35' to 43'.( has to play on varsity field and school is to cheap to have a portable rubber at 40') She has handled all the changes like no big deal even if its only been almost 2 months. She pitches I catch every 2 days for an hour, not including warming up. Her choice. So she has put in the work. Monday night we threw and she was hitting every spot I could call. I was thinking WOW. She has figured it all out. Wednesday we threw wasnt as pretty as earlier in the week. Last night she was supposed to start, she didn't. Got a call in the last inning. She warmed up like she is suppossed to and it was time. She couldnt hit nothing. Was missing bad high and in the dirt. I could tell it was shaking her up bad. Stopped leaping and went to stepping. Started leaning forward and guiding the ball. Still all over the place. Looking at me for help in the stands, nothing I could do from there. Finally made it threw the inning. They won the game but she was really upset and embarressed. It was awful. Later that night she said daddy I want to pitch everyday until that never happens again. Sorry for the long vent but if being a pitchers dad is going to come with all these ups and then extreme lows Im going to have a heart attack. I need to take up golf.

I would buy my own mound and tape measure. I would buy 2 spikes. I would drill 2 holes in the mount at opposite ends. Next game I would measure off 40' with MY tape measure. I then would spike down MY mound at 40' from which my DD would pitch from. Time to get off the bucket and get this done, dad.

 

[splinterpicker]

She has only been pitching a short time and it still happens to young ladies that have pitched a lot longer. Sounds like there were many things happening on the mental side that were causing mechanical trouble. Learn from that and I bet she will be fine the next games.

 

[southernchopper]

I would buy my own mound and tape measure. I would buy 2 spikes. I would drill 2 holes in the mount at opposite ends. Next game I would measure off 40' with MY tape measure. I then would spike down MY mound at 40' from which my DD would pitch from. Time to get off the bucket and get this done, dad.

Not possible. Its not just her school its every school they play. Private schools that softball is not cared about. It was not her first time pitching from that distance. She has pitched in 3 already. My point was the highs and lows of a new pitcher. By the way I already have a rubber setup in the yard for her for when we practice and its at 43'.

 

[PGSAKen]

Kick into dad mode and make sure she KNOWS shes not going to be perfect and you dont expect her to be perfect. All we as dads care about is seeing our DD happy and giving their best regardless of how its going.

If my DD has a tough outing she comes off the field and says to her teammates-I had a tough night, thats on me and lets it go.

 

[PGSAKen]

Not possible. Its not just her school its every school they play. Private schools that softball is not cared about. It was not her first time pitching from that distance. She has pitched in 3 already. My point was the highs and lows of a new pitcher. By the way I already have a rubber setup in the yard for her for when we practice and its at 43'.

So 3 out of 4 good outings in a new environment with new ball and new distance. Thats pretty D&^% GOOD!!!

 

[southernchopper]

Kick into dad mode and make sure she KNOWS shes not going to be perfect and you dont expect her to be perfect. All we as dads care about is seeing our DD happy and giving their best regardless of how its going.QUOTE]

Already done. Please dont think Im disappointed. Far from it. I think she has done great in the amount of time she has been pitching.

 

[JJsqueeze]

The day my daughter comes to me and says "I want to practice every day so this never happens again" will be the day that she finally gets what I am really trying to teach her using softball ad a tool. You should be very proud of her reaction. As for the performance-everyone has an off night, really no big deal.

 

[James Smith]

My DD has had more of these days then I care to remember, think Monday. She pitched again Wednesday and looked fine. Just keep to your schedule and do not make a big deal about it.

If it is going high and low she has a release Issue which happens sometimes and can be hard to get out of during a game.

It would cost @$30 to get a proper plate, $20 for the plate and $10 for a tape measure. They cannot be that cheap but maybe. Maybe the rule is all MS is 43’, some states that is the rule but not ours.

 

[southernchopper]

My DD has had more of these days then I care to remember, think Monday. She pitched again Wednesday and looked fine. Just keep to your schedule and do not make a big deal about it.

If it is going high and low she has a release Issue which happens sometimes and can be hard to get out of during a game.

It would cost @$30 to get a proper plate, $20 for the plate and $10 for a tape measure. They cannot be that cheap but maybe. Maybe the rule is all MS is 43’, some states that is the rule but not ours.

I've asked about the rules. What I've found its 40'. The coach told me its an agreement between all the schools coaches. From what Ive seen not many rules are inforced. No look back rule, no illegal pitches and last night the whole other team was wearing metal cleats. Umpire said well they can't play barefooted. Thats another story. I was againest her playing middle school ball but she wants to play with her classmates.