Parent Drama - need advice.

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Feb 7, 2014
547
43
Enjoy the ride. I stressed out from 9-13 and then another dad told me “she knows what she’s doing”. When she was a freshman in HS, I finally realized she knew what she was doing. A Top 10 PGF, a few state tiles later and playing in D1. She calls now to talk about her practices and bullpens and when she’s home I just play catch with her. We look at video but she knows what she’s doing. We joke about the girls that all started in the beginning but faded away over time and gravitated to other positions. Don’t stress she’ll get to the point where she knows what she’s doing. I sat for almost 10 years on a bucket and got to the point of calling strikes in a game before it was out of her hand. Get her a good coach and and sit back.

☝️☝️☝️

This...

ENJOY
THE
RIDE.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,409
113
Texas
I took one out of the dirt Monday, right to the shin. It's still a lump. I can usually stand up and raise the leg fast enough, but her speed is now getting to the point that I can't move that fast. When we're outside I still catch like a catcher. In the basement I sit on an exercise ball.

I'm gonna invent the perfect bucket dad seat, complete with protection for sensitive areas.
Invest into some shin guards. Seen many dad using them.
 

softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
Wouldn't be surprised if that player stops pitching at some point if she is that good of a SS and hitter. I don't get why at the younger age division pitcher's parents wants their kid to get all the circle time. Rec ball, it makes sense if you are only playing 2 games a week. TB you NEED 3-4 pitchers to get you through a weekend.

As a coach I don't want to have pitchers that are similar in style. I want to have unique pitchers with different spins and speeds. What's gonna happen when the pitcher starts getting shellacked? She will be begging for one of the other pitchers to rescue her.
This exactly. I'm by no means a coach. But it makes sense to have pitchers of different styles ready to go in a game situation. If ones getting shelled, you don't want to just throw another girl out there who throws the same way. Your asking for her to get shelled and she will lose confidence. Then its on the other coaches and the catcher to build her back up. Which I've had to do already when my battery mate has gotten shelled.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
Invest into some shin guards. Seen many dad using them.

I can't do the bucket. It's just such an unathletic position to be in. I tried it after hip surgery, and it was fine then because I wasn't allowed to squat, but I couldn't wait to ditch it. I was so nervous trying to catch from a bucket. Shin guards are an absolute necessity.

Plus, by actually getting down and catching for my pitchers, I feel like I'm resisting aging juuuust a little bit.
 
Jan 25, 2022
880
93
Invest into some shin guards. Seen many dad using them.
Thanks. I have some, but I either plan poorly and don't bring them, or they irritate the back of my legs and I take them off if I'm catching from a squat. It's strictly a "me" problem. I may invest in a helmet too at some point. I'm really not a good enough catcher to keep up once her speed gets much past where it is now. The only time I caught in baseball was in a LL that used pitching machines. I never got proficient at taking one at an odd angle or out of the dirt. An exercise ball is great because you have a little more protection, but it's also nearly impossible to move laterally.
 
Jan 25, 2022
880
93
Plus, by actually getting down and catching for my pitchers, I feel like I'm resisting aging juuuust a little bit.

Me too. I take some pride that I can get down and get up to get the high ones. If you can't do that anymore an exercise ball is good. It's certainly more comfortable.
 
Last edited:
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
I took one out of the dirt Monday, right to the shin. It's still a lump. I can usually stand up and raise the leg fast enough, but her speed is now getting to the point that I can't move that fast. When we're outside I still catch like a catcher. In the basement I sit on an exercise ball.

I'm gonna invent the perfect bucket dad seat, complete with protection for sensitive areas.
I am making a prototype.
 
Mar 4, 2015
526
93
New England
Parental drama is synonymous with youth sports, but in 10 years of DD's travel and school ball, I can't recall a situation where a player told a teammate that she was better than her and deserved to play more than her, and I can't recall a situation where one pair of parents were criticizing another player to the point that it became a significant issue. Maybe we just got lucky, but I hope some of the posts don't make you think this is what happens on most teams.

If I were the coach of the team and this was happening, I'd want somebody to tell me about it.
 
Sep 13, 2021
42
18
I wore one on the shin a couple weeks ago at a lesson. Coach called screw and it ended up being a drop curve. The seams left a deep enough imprint that a little blood oozed out. I will have a scar it looks like. It's been fun giving my daughter grief.
 

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