How to approach coaching staff about "Hello Elbow"?

[softball_mom#7]

We recently joined a new organization and several of their coaches advocate hello elbow and pushing the ball. They seem to use HE as the fix for just about everything. We have expressed that DD takes privates lessons and doesn't finish with HE; have even invited them to lessons. We have told DD that it is ok to politely explain she doesn't pitch that way however, she is fearful the coaches will take it as "not being coachable".

Any suggestions on how to handle this?

 

[RubberBiscuit]

In general I steer away from anyone who says you can only be successfull one way or another. Displaying rigidity like this will show its ugly face in other aspects of the game (these kinds of coaches will be the first to have the definition of insanity challenged against them - where they will stick to one rigid principle until "death"...)

The "fact" that yer DD can politely explain is that you & your DD are committed ($ too!) to the teachings of this other party and that they have to understand the potentially negative results of trying to follow two different coaching styles at one time. (Girls will try to do that at times and it can set a girl going backwards!!! I have seen it first hand!!)

 

[StingRay]

you need to politely tell the coach that you pay for pitching lessons and to not interfere with her mechanics.

 

[Classof2020]

Well I feel a little silly. I just saw that I posted just about the same issue as you two hours later.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Again, probably a discussion you should have had with the coach before you accepted their offer to play for their team.

You can certainly do it your way but if you aren't having success and you aren't doing it the coaches way then you probably won't be pitching for that coach very much.

I always tell my girls they can do it (batting, hitting, fielding, throwing) their way but if they aren't having success then we are going to have issues (because they aren't doing it my way and they are not having success).

As a coach when I am selecting my team I always ask the girls who their pitching and batting coaches are. If their private coaches don't agree with my philosophies and methods it's hard to pick those girls. It will be a constant battle between "who is right".

Parents never want to hear that they would be better off lighting $50 on fire every week than taking their DD's to particular hitting and pitching coaches.

 

[softball_mom#7]

When I spoke to the president of the organization prior to tryout he had no problem with an outside pitching coach and stated his coaches will usually attend at least one of two lessons so they understand how to help each girl. DD pitches with Doug Gillis and it seems no one in our area is familiar with him or I/R. I am not opposed if they mention her balance seems off or her stride is short...but I cringe everytime they show her HE.
I have decided to let DD handle it with the coaches until she feels she cannot and then I will reassess the situation. I am going to stock up on some good books and sunflower seeds.

Again, probably a discussion you should have had with the coach before you accepted their offer to play for their team.

You can certainly do it your way but if you aren't having success and you aren't doing it the coaches way then you probably won't be pitching for that coach very much.

I always tell my girls they can do it (batting, hitting, fielding, throwing) their way but if they aren't having success then we are going to have issues (because they aren't doing it my way and they are not having success).

As a coach when I am selecting my team I always ask the girls who their pitching and batting coaches are. If their private coaches don't agree with my philosophies and methods it's hard to pick those girls. It will be a constant battle between "who is right".

Parents never want to hear that they would be better off lighting $50 on fire every week than taking their DD's to particular hitting and pitching coaches.

 

[chinamigarden]

Gift them one of Doug Gillises videos on pitching. Fortunately for me his was one of the first videos on pitching I ever saw and it seemed to make so much sense. That along with his resume should help. And maybe some slow motion video of just about every single great pitcher should illustrate the point.

 

[Sparky Guy]

As a coach when I am selecting my team I always ask the girls who their pitching and batting coaches are. If their private coaches don't agree with my philosophies and methods it's hard to pick those girls. It will be a constant battle between "who is right".

I do the same thing here. There is a guy who teaches some really awful things to kids. I've heard him giving lessons and cringe. I can watch a girl throw 4 pitches and I immediately know they take lessons from this guy. I don't bother with those kids because I know it will be nothing but headaches for me.

 

[Doug Romrell]

Gift them one of Doug Gillises videos on pitching. Fortunately for me his was one of the first videos on pitching I ever saw and it seemed to make so much sense. That along with his resume should help. And maybe some slow motion video of just about every single great pitcher should illustrate the point.

MAY help. The ole, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." very often applies.

 

[cmustangsfp]

If any of my P's go to a PC I don't mess with their style. I realize that there is more than 1 way to pitch that can be successful, otherwise it would be easy to hit the ball as all of the pitches would appear to be the same if all P's did it the same way. Some people love one style more than others and will defend it to the death. When I do get a P that has a different style then my DD's use, I explain to the parent that I won't be able to offer corrections and so won't able to offer in-game adjustments. I leave it at that. If the girl is ineffective as a P, then I pull her and ask her to keep working with her PC.
With that being said, I have had several parents come to me and rudely say "They go to XXXX for pitching lessons. Don't mess with her style." I didn't and she didn't, last long that is. I don't mind letting them have a different style, but if they then want to impose that style on me, my DD's or others on my team and insist that their way is the only way, then I show them in which direction they can find the exits. It is also funny to hear them say "She did really good at pitching lessons the other night, I don't know what is wrong with her today...." I am often tempted to say "Throw a live batter in there at her next pitching lesson...: