So my DD just turned 13 last week. At age 10 and 11 she was a dominant pitcher. She lost most of her 12u season last year because of Covid but continued to work almost every day and weekly with a pitching coach.
she was pitching upwards of about 53-54 mph regularly as well as maintining a good changeup and learning tothrow a drop and screw ball which were actually starting to look reallygood. We were very excited about the season but then something just “ happened” or “changed” .... it’s something I just can’t explain and something I’ve never seen from a player in my over 30 years of playing and coaching.
It started with getting into scrimmages and holding back a bit from nerves, not throwing nearly as well as in the backyard. I figured that was expected since she hadn’t been on the mound in a while ...
We switched her pitching coach over the pandemic and he seemed to be making great progress with her. Then she started getting very anxious on the way to lessons. Saying she was nervous because she thought he thought she sucked. He would say things like “ maybe uou can just be a first baseman because you just don’t throw hard enough “. She would cry sometimes on the way home because he made her feel like crap.
Now trust me , I am about tough love and pushing them so I thought nothing of it except - you gotta be mentally strong.
When she went back on the mound it was just disastrous. I’m. Not talking about not throwing hard. I don’t mean she couldn’t find the strike zone. I mean it was like she couldn’t physically throw the ball anywhere near the plate. The ball would bounce 3 times before getting there or the ball would fly over the back stop . This with zero velocity. It was like a 7 year old who never pitched before stepped onto the mound. Not a kid who was progressing so well and been seeing a pitching coach since she’s 9.
There are so many things I’ve tried to get her through this. She is a very athletic 5’9 left handed pitcher who wants this more than anything. We have her talking to a sport psych for children , and changed coaches. But I don’t know if it’s something she can ever overcome. She is petrified to go on the mound. But wants to get passed this and back to where she was 2 months ago.
Has anyone ever experienced this before ?
many advice ??
I can post videos if you like.
thanks in advance.
she was pitching upwards of about 53-54 mph regularly as well as maintining a good changeup and learning tothrow a drop and screw ball which were actually starting to look reallygood. We were very excited about the season but then something just “ happened” or “changed” .... it’s something I just can’t explain and something I’ve never seen from a player in my over 30 years of playing and coaching.
It started with getting into scrimmages and holding back a bit from nerves, not throwing nearly as well as in the backyard. I figured that was expected since she hadn’t been on the mound in a while ...
We switched her pitching coach over the pandemic and he seemed to be making great progress with her. Then she started getting very anxious on the way to lessons. Saying she was nervous because she thought he thought she sucked. He would say things like “ maybe uou can just be a first baseman because you just don’t throw hard enough “. She would cry sometimes on the way home because he made her feel like crap.
Now trust me , I am about tough love and pushing them so I thought nothing of it except - you gotta be mentally strong.
When she went back on the mound it was just disastrous. I’m. Not talking about not throwing hard. I don’t mean she couldn’t find the strike zone. I mean it was like she couldn’t physically throw the ball anywhere near the plate. The ball would bounce 3 times before getting there or the ball would fly over the back stop . This with zero velocity. It was like a 7 year old who never pitched before stepped onto the mound. Not a kid who was progressing so well and been seeing a pitching coach since she’s 9.
There are so many things I’ve tried to get her through this. She is a very athletic 5’9 left handed pitcher who wants this more than anything. We have her talking to a sport psych for children , and changed coaches. But I don’t know if it’s something she can ever overcome. She is petrified to go on the mound. But wants to get passed this and back to where she was 2 months ago.
Has anyone ever experienced this before ?
many advice ??
I can post videos if you like.
thanks in advance.