how to help create a really good pitcher

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Aug 9, 2021
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60+ views and no replies...I am no expert but I'll put in my $0.02

5. Be patient.
6. Let the good pitching coach you hired coach your kid (not you-unless you are a softball pitcher yourself, or a softball pitching coach).
7. Understand that you will get hit and that's going to happen.
8. Understand that you will get hit hard and that's going to happen.
9. Understand that you will hit batters and that's going to happen.
10. Understand that your teammates will make errors (or non-plays) and that's going to happen.
11. Understand that other parents (especially other pitcher parents) have opinions about how you pitch...let it roll off your back.
12. Do not pitch for conditioning, do conditioning so you can pitch.
13. Work harder than everyone else.
14. Nobody cares, work harder (thank you Cam Hanes for that).

All part of the game.

I have more, but I'm curious to see what others say.
 
Jul 16, 2019
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3. Get on a TB team where she *pitches* about 40% to 60% of the games.
How to get on a team can guarantee 40% pitching time? At 10U, half of the team are pitchers. On a parent coached teams, usually coaches' DD are pitchers. Non-parent coaches are obligated to develop players. So they have to pitch every pitcher on the team. And to be honest, most coaches favorite bigger kids. In their mind, bigger kids will pitch faster and can do more things than small kids. I told DD that if she can not play her primary position for more than 30% time, she has to change team. But even she leaves her current team (non-parent coach favorite big kids) for the B team practicing 5 mins away (three coaches' DD all pitch), she still won't get 30% pitching time.

So for parents who can not coach a team and DD is on small side, how to get on a team can guarantee 40% pitching time? Somehow, I felt it is impossible. Even I am willing to let her play a C team or a rec team, there is no way that she will get 40% pitching time guaranteed.
 
May 18, 2019
278
43
How to get on a team can guarantee 40% pitching time? At 10U, half of the team are pitchers. On a parent coached teams, usually coaches' DD are pitchers. Non-parent coaches are obligated to develop players. So they have to pitch every pitcher on the team. And to be honest, most coaches favorite bigger kids. In their mind, bigger kids will pitch faster and can do more things than small kids. I told DD that if she can not play her primary position for more than 30% time, she has to change team. But even she leaves her current team (non-parent coach favorite big kids) for the B team practicing 5 mins away (three coaches' DD all pitch), she still won't get 30% pitching time.

So for parents who can not coach a team and DD is on small side, how to get on a team can guarantee 40% pitching time? Somehow, I felt it is impossible. Even I am willing to let her play a C team or a rec team, there is no way that she will get 40% pitching time guaranteed.
If she practices and is better she will be put in that much. My DD (actually both) has been on multiple teams where the P2 was the coaches daughter. She's been on travel teams that were the same. She always got the innings in because we got out 3-4 times per week no matter how hot or cold it was, or how tired one of us was and we put in the work. We have a good coach also. The biggest challenge we've had is not letting them over pitch her. I've seen many kids blow out their shoulders by age 12. I know literally hundreds of pitchers and I can count on one hand the ones that are consistent for years. Your situation may be unique but for 90% of parents that have this complaint, they look at their own daughter through rose colored lenses or expect playing time without putting in the work. The first 2 questions to ask are if she is throwing at least 60-80 pitches 3-4 times per week and has she done this over a multi year period. If not, there's the answer. If so and she's still not getting the innings, get a new coach. If she does that and still isn't playing there will be teams lined up to take her and give her the mound time.
 
Feb 10, 2018
496
93
NoVA
15. Pitch against the best competition you can to drive improvement. A level where you can compete, but are constantly being challenged to keep getting better. Racking up Ks against the Hittin’ Kittens to pad your GameChanger stats is not helping you get better.

16. Embrace what you are/do best as a pitcher. Work on weaknesses, but play to your strengths and don’t waste time comparing yourself to others who are not you. Your job is to throw strikes and get outs. That can happen in a variety of ways.
 
May 27, 2013
2,353
113
Learn to be confident, yet humble. Always, always thank your fielders who make the plays behind you, and the hitters who score the runs for you. The more you support your team, the more they are going to want to run through a wall for you.
 
May 18, 2019
278
43
17. Work on your mental game. If you are up 0-2, the next pitch shouldn't be a strike unless the opponent is vastly over matched. Work on how you settle down after a hard hit. Work on how you respond when your team makes an error. If your team is up 5-0 in a timed game, you shouldn't be throwing 5 seconds after receiving the ball and if you are down 5-0 you shouldn't be throwing 20 seconds after receiving it.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Pretty much everyone here is smarter then me. One of the things that changed DD and made her a better P was when she had enough confidence in herself to help younger players and Teamates P. She was never paid. Questions players asked were great and made her think about her own game and why she Did the things she did.
 
May 18, 2019
278
43
18. Work on bunt coverage and footwork especially if you are a lefty.
19. Work on hitting. It's very hard to be a good pitcher and hitter but it can be a big help to your team.
20.work on nutrition. You cannot cope with stress if you are dehydrated or hangry.
21. Throw first pitch strikes but not always. Know as a hitter that the pitchers goal is a first pitch strike.
22.adjust your spots based on the count unless your coach is good at this or you are perfect in hitting them. Walks are similar to hits and you probably don't want to try to paint the very outside corner 3-2. You may miss or may not get the call. Also know that you you can get hitters to swing at a lot of balls once you have 2 on them.
23. Go to school on the umps strike zone early in the game especially if you are the home team. You will have to adjust.
24. Adopt the mindset that the umps call is always right. There is no use burning emotional energy to fret about it.
25. You are queen of the circle. If it's dug out take time to fill in the hole and pack it down.
26. You are queen of the circle. If the ball has a gash or is slippery request a new one.
27. Be able to throw a change up on any count and make sure it's low and preferably almost in the dirt by the time is arrives with less than 3 strikes.
28. Make sure your wind up is consistently legal. Trying to change that mid game sucks.
29. Be nice to your Catcher. They are working for you. However, framing is critical and if they aren't doing it well, see if you can find a gently way to encourage them to work on it.
30. Encourage your defense. They are also working for you.
31. Watch film of yourself and go to school both on mechanics and movement/spots.
32. Do shoulder exercises with banks to strengthen muscles around.
 

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