Taunting the pitcher?

[shockcoach]

I stopped my girls mid cheer this year and lectured them about this very thing. NO cheers that singled out any particular player. Other than "watch the pitcher, see what she can do." I won't stand for that. I will also bring it to blue's attention when the other team starts SCREAMING just as a pitch is released. Very bush league and against the rules. I try to tune out the cheers when I'm managing, so sometimes they sneak stuff by me. I have had an umpire say something to me once this year about a cheer. I told him I totally agree and didn't catch it because I tend to tune them out and thanked him for bringing it to my attention.

Next time, bring it to blue's attention between innings, or call time and go talk to him if it's blatantly bad.

 

[absdad]

The cheers are part of the game, it's when they get personal, that it's out of line. Seen parents be pretty bad. Played a team last fall, half the parents for the other team had those horrible new years eve noise makers, whatever they're called. Were smoking in the bleachers, and probably half-crocked. Kept hollering things like "this girl can't hit", etc. Pretty whiskey tango.

 

[chapelhillbilly]

We did try to point it out the the umps and then also nicely to the other teams manager and we were told they were just cheering. When we got new umps the lady stopped them and then made the comment, I hope they haven't been doing this to you all day. We said yes ma'am they have. We had already played that same team twice and were in the championship game with them at that time. I'm very glad she stopped them on that particular pitcher. She is an awesome pitcher and extreamly fast, but is fairly new to pitching and I don't believe she could have taken what they were dishing out.

 

[pbent67]

The cheers are part of the game, it's when they get personal, that it's out of line. Seen parents be pretty bad. Played a team last fall, half the parents for the other team had those horrible new years eve noise makers, whatever they're called. Were smoking in the bleachers, and probably half-crocked. Kept hollering things like "this girl can't hit", etc. Pretty whiskey tango.

If you are playing around KC I can bet on the team. Always an extreme reaction.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Really don't care what they do, really don't care what they say. I spent a lot of years on the mound, a good pitcher doesn't even think twice about it. He/she is in the zone. It is usually the fans/parents that get the most upset.

Don't get me wrong, as a player I never cared, now that I'm in the dugout.........it drives me insane. I'm just letting you know how it feels from the rubber.

 

[chapelhillbilly]

You may be right. It may not bother them as much as it does the parents. We did ask the pitcher if it bothered her and she said yes it was getting on her nerves. The pitcherthat they were doing it to is a little more hardened than the one where the ump stopped it at. She is pretty tender-hearted and it holds her back in her pitching. If she ever hits a batter with a wild pitch she is pretty much done for. She just gets torn up over it. I've noticed the past few tournaments that she is getting better about it. I hope she is able to overcome that because she has the potential to be an awesome pitcher.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

You may be right. It may not bother them as much as it does the parents. We did ask the pitcher if it bothered her and she said yes it was getting on her nerves. The pitcherthat they were doing it to is a little more hardened than the one where the ump stopped it at. She is pretty tender-hearted and it holds her back in her pitching. If she ever hits a batter with a wild pitch she is pretty much done for. She just gets torn up over it. I've noticed the past few tournaments that she is getting better about it. I hope she is able to overcome that because she has the potential to be an awesome pitcher.

Sorry to hear it bothered her. It will get better with age. The only voice from HS/traveling older years/to college I could hear was my dad. When you get on the 'hill' it's like you and the batter only exist. I really never understood it until I was older and watching my own DD go through the same.

She will overcome, the pitcher is the quarterback, they don't quit until the fat lady sings.

 

[wxb127]

I guess I am closer to the other end of this. I have been to many D1 college softball games and the cheers are all game long. It is really cool to hear the camaraderie. No- they don't direct them at any certain player, but they are almost harmonic at points. Cheers should never be directed at a player by name but by position sometimes is perfectly fine in my opinion "watch the pitcher" is the one I hear the most directed to a position. I equate cheering by the players in softball to situations like when the fans and players in a basketball game are screaming and yelling or pounding the bleachers during a foul shot. Or when at a football game the "12th Man" (and many of the players not on the field) starts screaming at the top of their lungs when the other team has the ball and the players can't hear the cadence. This is a part of the game. You use whatever advantage you can, sometimes mental, to your advantage. If players get up by cheering and it brings out their "rally caps" then why can't they cheer. If you are a pitcher, and this bothers you, possibly you aren't mentally tough enough yet to be a pitcher. I just think this is where people put the double standard on what has become now a predominantly women's sport. Kind of like saying "oh the guys can handle it but the girls cant" Though in women's basketball games (sister in law was a D1 player) they are just as loud - maybe louder - as the guys games when there is a foul shot!

 

[Sweet Lou]

Really don't care what they do, really don't care what they say. I spent a lot of years on the mound, a good pitcher doesn't even think twice about it. He/she is in the zone. It is usually the fans/parents that get the most upset.

Don't get me wrong, as a player I never cared, now that I'm in the dugout.........it drives me insane. I'm just letting you know how it feels from the rubber.

I keep trying to tell my 8 year old that.
I try to tell her they really only do that to try to rattle you if you are actually good so take it as a compliment.
But she's 8 so it's a work in progress.

 

[Ken B]

I'd prefer my team (players, coaches and spectators) is known for skills, talent and class. I'd rather my kids "get into their heads" because they know we can hit, pitch, bunt, field and run.

I do like distraction games at practice. During pitching practice, we occasionally have each kid throw 3 sets of ten while the others stand on the sides of the circle and try to distract whoever's up. Same with a hitting station, except they stand behind the backstop. The first set or two is usually pretty funny, but then you see the tunnel vision kick in and they block it out. Gives them a focus point when stuff starts to slip in during a game.