sports psychologist - does it work?

[shelbysdad]

Thinking about taking DD to a sports psychologist. Wondered if anyone has any experience with this. She is smaller, 11u, converted to lefty slapper 2 months ago. She works hard and is a driven athlete but seems terrified when facing taller 12u pitchers. She does fine against average size pitchers she has seen before but when she faces a tall pitcher she bails out.

 

[JJsqueeze]

Thinking about taking DD to a sports psychologist. Wondered if anyone has any experience with this. She is smaller, 11u, converted to lefty slapper 2 months ago. She works hard and is a driven athlete but seems terrified when facing taller 12u pitchers. She does fine against average size pitchers she has seen before but when she faces a tall pitcher she bails out.

Sounds like a parenting psychologist is more in order

 

[YOCOACH]

Thinking about taking DD to a sports psychologist. Wondered if anyone has any experience with this. She is smaller, 11u, converted to lefty slapper 2 months ago. She works hard and is a driven athlete but seems terrified when facing taller 12u pitchers. She does fine against average size pitchers she has seen before but when she faces a tall pitcher she bails out.

I don't think you need to worry. Once your DD tastes some success against the bigger pitchers and gains confidence, she'll be fine.

 

[Elk Grove Hurricane]

I'm with the others, too young. But what would work wonders is finding a good, young, female coach or player who can talk to her on a level that most parents can't. At that age, they need someone to believe in them, and as important as we parents are, finding just one outsider to take an interest in her immensely helps.

 

[7smom]

I'm with the others, too young. But what would work wonders is finding a good, young, female coach or player who can talk to her on a level that most parents can't. At that age, they need someone to believe in them, and as important as we parents are, finding just one outsider to take an interest in her immensely.

This is so true! My DD turned to left side after first year at 10U. Lucky for us, we live in a town with a large DI school softball program. We found one of the players who is also small in stature and converted lefty (like DD) and hired her to coach DD. She became so much more than a hitting coach! Mentor, role mode, friend. DD definitely listed better to her than to us during those crucial years of attitude! She inspired DD to play in college. She is now coaching college in the same conference where DD will play in college next year.

Getting a mentor/role model can be key IMO.

 

[Rocketech1]

Thinking about taking DD to a sports psychologist. Wondered if anyone has any experience with this. She is smaller, 11u, converted to lefty slapper 2 months ago. She works hard and is a driven athlete but seems terrified when facing taller 12u pitchers. She does fine against average size pitchers she has seen before but when she faces a tall pitcher she bails out.

No need for a sports psychologist. She needs to get in as many at-bat reps as possible in practice, maybe against a taller pitcher from her team or even an adult pitching front toss. When batting, have her focus on the pitching arm and release point, not the size of the pitcher. Has she been hit before by a taller pitcher? We had a player that got hit in the ribs and it took her months for her to not bail out of the box when batting.

 

[Onegameonelove12]

Thinking about taking DD to a sports psychologist. Wondered if anyone has any experience with this. She is smaller, 11u, converted to lefty slapper 2 months ago. She works hard and is a driven athlete but seems terrified when facing taller 12u pitchers. She does fine against average size pitchers she has seen before but when she faces a tall pitcher she bails out.

How's she doing now?