So last night, DD1 (the junior) mentions that she ran into her coach when she was killing time at the middle school and he asked if she was playing. I had already told him she wasn't, but in the early days of her backing out I told him to work on her when he saw her. I had given up on that plan, though, because her plate has truly been full. But all he did was ask, and she said maybe. She said he told her if she doesn't play, that he'd like to have her there in the dugout at games as a manager. I agree because if nothing else, she's a calming force for her high-strung little sister.
So I said "wait. what does 'maybe' mean?"
And she's like "I miss it. I'm feeling like 50/50 now. I don't want to just give up when I've been playing since 6th grade."
From the other room, my wife yells "are you kidding me? I told you not to do this. Now you haven't been practicing all this time and plan on just showing up?"
She did, in-fact, say that. And DD1 has not, in-fact, spent much time at the field with us as we worked twice a week all summer and fall. Wife is is 100% justified in her feelings.
HOWEVER...it's still early enough for her to shake off the defensive rust and get some extra hitting work in. She'll also need to pick back up on the shoulder PT and relearn her throwing pattern. She compensated for the swimmer's shoulder for so long that she pushes the ball.
I kinda feel for her because I know how much it sucked to sit in the dugout with the bad knee all season, and how that can affect the desire to play again.
HS could REALLY use her. 2B position is fully open now and there really isn't anyone I can think of that can step right into it with the skills and knowledge needed. That's the position she's always played, though. The couple girls I'd thought of for the 2B slot have OF experience and are needed there. DD1 really can play anywhere in the infield for the most part, and I could have her a very competent outfielder with a few weeks of working on tracking the ball if needed.
The hitting is rough, though. She's not lacking at all in athletic ability or really even timing. She's just got some habits that have never really been addressed enough to relearn. We can get on that one, though. She's a quick study.
DD2 and I have still been working. Wednesday we worked with the catcher and she threw strike after strike. It's the best I've ever seen from her and I'm excited to know she's at this point with 10 weeks remaining until spring practices start. Her hitting has also improved a lot. She goes to all the MS hitting sessions, and has been working on the tee by herself some. She's determined to show up as a HS player and not lay an egg.
We're still trying to get this hip thing worked out. I've hit up some of the instructors from the Pauly certification group and am going to work with her this evening on her front side resistance. They seem to think it'll help her get the hip around and keep the torso turned where it should be. I really think if we can get this consistent she'll not only be more accurate, but may be able to get more arm whip and pick up a few mph.
I got myself a pocket radar for Christmas and hope to see it in the mail in the next couple days. I would really like to get some good data to work from. The last time she was clocked on a full pitch was midsummer and she was at 45. The instructor we visited a couple months ago had his running and she threw 47 from K. I'm very confident she's cleared 50 now, which was our goal. I know 50 at 14 years old is nothing amazing, but it was 42 in May. The big thing is that now the pitches are coming in flat. She's able to locate a bit as well, which was goal #2. I don't know if we'll get to goal #3, a change-up, before Feb 15th, but that's something we can work on between Feb 15th and the first games in late March.
So I said "wait. what does 'maybe' mean?"
And she's like "I miss it. I'm feeling like 50/50 now. I don't want to just give up when I've been playing since 6th grade."
From the other room, my wife yells "are you kidding me? I told you not to do this. Now you haven't been practicing all this time and plan on just showing up?"
She did, in-fact, say that. And DD1 has not, in-fact, spent much time at the field with us as we worked twice a week all summer and fall. Wife is is 100% justified in her feelings.
HOWEVER...it's still early enough for her to shake off the defensive rust and get some extra hitting work in. She'll also need to pick back up on the shoulder PT and relearn her throwing pattern. She compensated for the swimmer's shoulder for so long that she pushes the ball.
I kinda feel for her because I know how much it sucked to sit in the dugout with the bad knee all season, and how that can affect the desire to play again.
HS could REALLY use her. 2B position is fully open now and there really isn't anyone I can think of that can step right into it with the skills and knowledge needed. That's the position she's always played, though. The couple girls I'd thought of for the 2B slot have OF experience and are needed there. DD1 really can play anywhere in the infield for the most part, and I could have her a very competent outfielder with a few weeks of working on tracking the ball if needed.
The hitting is rough, though. She's not lacking at all in athletic ability or really even timing. She's just got some habits that have never really been addressed enough to relearn. We can get on that one, though. She's a quick study.
DD2 and I have still been working. Wednesday we worked with the catcher and she threw strike after strike. It's the best I've ever seen from her and I'm excited to know she's at this point with 10 weeks remaining until spring practices start. Her hitting has also improved a lot. She goes to all the MS hitting sessions, and has been working on the tee by herself some. She's determined to show up as a HS player and not lay an egg.
We're still trying to get this hip thing worked out. I've hit up some of the instructors from the Pauly certification group and am going to work with her this evening on her front side resistance. They seem to think it'll help her get the hip around and keep the torso turned where it should be. I really think if we can get this consistent she'll not only be more accurate, but may be able to get more arm whip and pick up a few mph.
I got myself a pocket radar for Christmas and hope to see it in the mail in the next couple days. I would really like to get some good data to work from. The last time she was clocked on a full pitch was midsummer and she was at 45. The instructor we visited a couple months ago had his running and she threw 47 from K. I'm very confident she's cleared 50 now, which was our goal. I know 50 at 14 years old is nothing amazing, but it was 42 in May. The big thing is that now the pitches are coming in flat. She's able to locate a bit as well, which was goal #2. I don't know if we'll get to goal #3, a change-up, before Feb 15th, but that's something we can work on between Feb 15th and the first games in late March.
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