When your DD isn't good enough to pitch on A level team, but will be needed for school ball, do you keep paying for lessons?

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Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
I would say if she has aspirations to pitch at a higher level in the future continue the lessons. But if she thinks she would rather make the transition to mostly full time position layer that the time and money would better be used elsewhere (such as the hitting lessons and new bat you mention in your post above). You can always go back to pitching lessons before the HS season starts if it looks she will need to pitch then and she wants to pitch for them.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
I think the BIG question is what does she want to do. You said she is unsure? Has she truly not pitched in one year or has she just not pitched competitively. What would the 8th grade team do if she could not pitch?

If she has any interest I would let her take lessons thru the fall/winter maybe twice a month and throw with you in between...is she getting better? is she having fun?

Is there really nobody that can pitch for eigth grade team....if she doesn't really want to she can be a team player and tell coach she hasn't pitched in a year and a half and should really only be considered an emergency pitcher if someone gets hurt.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
IMHO, your DD is telling you that she doesn't want to pitch.

Personally, I wouldn't spend the money or the time on the pitching lessons. You need to find out what she really wants to do, and invest your time and money there.

Weekly pitching lessons, bi-weekly, monthly, whatever...it isn't going to make a whole lot of difference.
 
Mar 26, 2019
82
18
Central Ohio
I think the BIG question is what does she want to do. You said she is unsure? Has she truly not pitched in one year or has she just not pitched competitively. What would the 8th grade team do if she could not pitch?

If she has any interest I would let her take lessons thru the fall/winter maybe twice a month and throw with you in between...is she getting better? is she having fun?

Is there really nobody that can pitch for eigth grade team....if she doesn't really want to she can be a team player and tell coach she hasn't pitched in a year and a half and should really only be considered an emergency pitcher if someone gets hurt.
Isn't it crazy how sometimes when you call attention to something and put it in writing, something crazy happens? I typed my post right before my daughter went to her weekly pitching lesson. My husband walked in the door and my DD right behind with big smiles on their face. Something clicked tonight with the leg drive that her coach has been trying to work on and she hit 53, but it was a bad pitch so she did it again and hit 54 three times. They use the pocket radar. I haven't seen her that excited in a while.

Last season she played 100 games from fall through this past summer and pitched 19 innings of those 100 games. She also played on a weeknight league with some old teammates this summer where she pitched about 10 innings. Her travel team has a new coach for next season and doesn't plan on using her to pitch at all as far as we know. She doesn't do any of the pitching warm ups like she used to with the other coach, so that tells me she won't be pitching next season.

There are a couple other pitchers on the 8th grade team, but they are C level pitchers. The coaches have been looking forward to having her pitch on the team. The High School coach is hoping she will pitch in High School also. Our school district isn't heavy on softball, so she will be one of the higher level girls on those teams.
 
Mar 28, 2014
1,081
113
Isn't it crazy how sometimes when you call attention to something and put it in writing, something crazy happens? I typed my post right before my daughter went to her weekly pitching lesson. My husband walked in the door and my DD right behind with big smiles on their face. Something clicked tonight with the leg drive that her coach has been trying to work on and she hit 53, but it was a bad pitch so she did it again and hit 54 three times. They use the pocket radar. I haven't seen her that excited in a while.
Sounds to me like she is having fun so why stop? And throwing 54 going into the 8th grade is pretty darn good and shows that she has a future as a pitcher if she stays at it. 54 turns into 56 which turns into 58 which turns into 60 real quick as she starts to develop physically. Not everyone is the unicorn that some of these guys talk about when they give you their opinions. IMO just because your DD isn't always begging you to catch them and wanting to throw the ball every second of the day doesn't mean she is trying to tell you that she doesn't want to pitch. My DD's pitching coach has been doing it 20 years and has pitchers spread throughout the Big 12 and others and she told me that only a handful of her students over the years didn't need a push from their parents to work at it. I'd recommend you stay at it. She will tell you in no uncertain terms if she is ready to quit. There will be no tea leaves to decipher as to whether or not she wants to continue. As long as you have the time, money, and desire, there's no harm in continuing.
 
Mar 26, 2019
82
18
Central Ohio
Sounds to me like she is having fun so why stop? And throwing 54 going into the 8th grade is pretty darn good and shows that she has a future as a pitcher if she stays at it. 54 turns into 56 which turns into 58 which turns into 60 real quick as she starts to develop physically. Not everyone is the unicorn that some of these guys talk about when they give you their opinions. IMO just because your DD isn't always begging you to catch them and wanting to throw the ball every second of the day doesn't mean she is trying to tell you that she doesn't want to pitch. My DD's pitching coach has been doing it 20 years and has pitchers spread throughout the Big 12 and others and she told me that only a handful of her students over the years didn't need a push from their parents to work at it. I'd recommend you stay at it. She will tell you in no uncertain terms if she is ready to quit. There will be no tea leaves to decipher as to whether or not she wants to continue. As long as you have the time, money, and desire, there's no harm in continuing.
Thank you so much for everything you just said! I think tonight was a huge accomplishment and has re-lit the fire for now! 😊
 
Apr 5, 2013
2,130
83
Back on the dirt...
I’m going to go a little different direction. If she not going to pitch this season, then stop pitching lessons and focus on hitting and fielding. If the time comes for her to pitch in HS, go back to lessons and get in shape to pitch again. It’s not like if she stops, she cant start lessons again for HS. She’s in 8th grade now, corect?

But as others have said, what does SHE want to do? Do what you can to help her have fun and grow as a player. If its lessons do it. But dont do it thinking if you stop that you cant go back to later.

JMHO.

Good luck!
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
DD is unsure of what she wants to do. She is starting weekly hitting lessons this week, so money will be used for those lessons and upgrading her bat. She used to see a hitting coach about once a month, but her travel coach wants her to take weekly lessons now.

I’ll probably take flak for this ... is her travel coach paying for it? Is he taking time out of his schedule to work with her on hitting as well?

Sorry ... short version: I just have an issue with coaches telling parents to spend money on other coaches. That should be a player/parent initiative.

The ONLY opinion that should matter is your daughter’s. If she wants to keep pitching and has a venue to do it (school ball), great. If she really is done and wants to focus on other skills, that’s great too. Just because she isn’t in the rotation on her travel team now isn’t exactly a reason to give it up. Maybe she keeps at it for school when other girls slack off and she comes back both with a passion and having improved enough to earn a spot in the rotation.
 
Last edited:
Mar 26, 2019
82
18
Central Ohio
I’ll probably take flak for this ... is her travel coach paying for it? Is he taking time out of his schedule to work with her on hitting as well?

Sorry ... short version: I just have an issue with coaches telling parents to spend money on other coaches. That should be a player/parent initiative.
I totally get what you are saying! The new coach is way better than any coach my DD has ever had the privilege of having (my hubby included). Every practice is like having a lesson. My DD converted to being a lefty slapper so she needs special instruction that not too many are able to give us. He gave us a recommendation and told us we should be seeing someone weekly. The good news is the new hitting coach charges a lot less than our previous hitting coach so that will help.
 
Apr 28, 2019
1,423
83
My DD used to be #2 pitchers two seasons ago with a previous team. This past season she took a spot on an A level team. The team was honest with us and told us, our DD wouldn't be getting much pitching time, since the team already had a lot of pitchers on the team. Now that she has gone a season without pitching much, she feels like she should give it up. She opted to play travel ball instead of 7th grade school ball last year, but will be playing 8th grade in the spring. She will be needed in 8th grade school ball and we found out that she will likely be needed at the High School level as well. Her top speed so far is 52MPH. She has had a pitching coach for 2 years. Is it common to pay for weekly pitching lessons if your DD is only pitching for school ball?
52 MPH is not bad for her age. I would encourage her to keep working hard to compete for more time in the circle for next travel season & MS season.
If you feel she is making progress with lessons keep up with them. Maybe get a lesson every other week and have her work on her own. If she puts her work in on her own go back to weekly sessions as the season gets closer.
Good pitchers are always in demand.
 

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