Unraveling Pitching Frustrations

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Nov 20, 2020
995
93
SW Missouri
Mound visits are criminally underutilized in TB (at least at the younger ages..)...

We used them a lot this year with DD’s team. If I went out it was for pitchers/catchers conference. If our other AC went out it was an overall defensive conference.

I found that if I could break the mental cycle of whatever the pitcher was fighting their next 3-5 pitches would actually be better and they would rebuild from that. Sometimes I won’t even address the problem of their bad pitches or that they just walked 2 hitters. We’ll talk about the current/next hitter, signs, how hot it was or whatever. DD sometimes will ask me directly what I was seeing wrong mechanically. Mostly it was just getting her out of the mental rut she’d gotten into. A quick breather and a reset can do wonders.
 
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
Sometimes I won’t even address the problem of their bad pitches or that they just walked 2 hitters.

Often, asking if they've ever wondered why dog farts smell so bad in comparison to human farts (or something similarly wacky and off the wall) can be oddly effective.

As you mentioned, whatever it takes to break the mental cycle and force a restart.
 
Nov 20, 2020
995
93
SW Missouri
Often, asking if they've ever wondered why dog farts smell so bad in comparison to human farts (or something similarly wacky and off the wall) can be oddly effective.

As you mentioned, whatever it takes to break the mental cycle and force a restart.

I will be using this in the future!
 
Oct 1, 2014
2,218
113
USA
Often, asking if they've ever wondered why dog farts smell so bad in comparison to human farts (or something similarly wacky and off the wall) can be oddly effective.

As you mentioned, whatever it takes to break the mental cycle and force a restart.
My Catcher DD utilizes that technique a lot when visiting the circle. ;-)
 
Feb 13, 2021
19
3
Yeah I probably could do a better job with this, mainly because when I was growing up it was something that evolved naturally with how kids grew up back then. Pick up football games, wiffle ball games,basketball games, etc. We competed all day,every day. Coaches and parents probably need to be a little more proactive nowadays..Gasso made a point of mentioning how competitive her practices were this year...
not about pitching but responding to your post because I talk about this all the time with my kids.
My kids, 10 year old girl and 12 year old boy are always in the yard playing wiffle ball, touch football, etc. They get pretty into it and while playing and having fun, they exude confidence. Same for family practices at the ball field. They are so confident and aggressive. But for my son that aggressiveness and confidence doesn't quite transfer to the diamond when he's playing with his team. He holds back. My daughter is pretty scrappy on the field because she's used to having to keep with with her brother and his friends. She plays with a bit more confidence. My point is, we tell them all the time that being confident and aggressive on the field help their game. They know they have the skills and they need to be confident and play like they actually have a good arm, are fast, can hit, etc. Somebody said in an earlier post that there's a bit of "showing off" that needs to take place. Desire to intimidate the other team with how hard you throw the ball across the infield. Be the player that wants the ball hit to them because you know you're going to catch it. Walk up to the batters box ready to bash the ball!
I think that as kids get better and better they begin to gain that confidence and it comes out in their playing. But I agree, not every player on the field has that hunger and drive. It's so key to being a great athlete!
 
Feb 13, 2021
19
3
Mound visits are criminally underutilized in TB (at least at the younger ages..)...
I'm constantly asking my husband, as we sit and watch the team fall apart, "why isn't anyone going out there to break this up?!". Especially with the younger girls. They need that reset/ refocus to happen before things get out of hand.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
This cute little explanation of growing the hesitant or timid or dont want to get it wrong player, has helped many.
Hope it helps more 👍🎉


Have you ever used a coloring book before? Yes
~we know when we are coloring...we try to stay inside the lines. To be perfect we slow down how fast we are coloring to stay within the lines.
In sports there is no boundary line to our picture!
We create the picture of us everyday by growing that line for ourselves. AND every day that picture gets bigger as we get better.
Play knowing there is no line!
Talent and achievements need to grow we do this by not limiting ourself.
Not stay limited where it makes you go slow or be hesitant.

Color the entire page!
 
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