whats the best way to approach the coach

[humpty]

11 yo DD has been working on a curve for a few mths. It hasn't really developed yet but she's figured out how to roll her wrist at release and can make the ball go down and away to rhb. Sometimes it move right to left, pitchers view, sometimes it drops, sometimes it goes down and away. I don't know what to call the pitch but its a good enough pitch that she needs to throw it in games. Her normal fb can move in to rhb or just say straight.

How do I approach the coach about calling these pitches in games. Or should I say anything? Should I tell DD to throw whatever she wants depending on count and location the coach calls.

I wouldn't say the pitch breaks hard. It just moves a little.


She could choose fb or down away pitch on outside pitches.

 

[Cannonball]

Why don't you have your dd talk to the coach about a new pitch and that she wants to show it to the coach?

 

[humpty]

That's the plan as of right now. But the coach never warms up the pitchers. Last tournament a few weeks ago she just started throwing it anytime he called fb away. It was very effective. In 8 innings on Sunday she gave up zero runs. A lot of groundballs and weak pop ups to 1b.

Same tournament 2 of the games we played the rubber was at 43ft. And the away pitched looked really good with the 3 extra ft. Don't ask why we played at 43 ft the guy was too busy to move it so we played anyways.

 

[YOCOACH]

As a coach, through the years, I have had many pitchers' parents tell me how many pitches their DDs have, how fast they throw yada, yada, yada and it is usually exaggerated guite a bit. Because of this, right or wrong, I have become a cynic and everything they say pretty much goes in one ear and out the other unless, or until, I see it with my own eyes. On the other hand, when one of my pitchers comes up to me and wants to show me a new pitch, I will gladly watch her demonstrate after a practice. What's it matter if it's an extra half hour or 45 minutes? I'm already there, rarely have anything which is a must do afterwards and most importantly, the smile I get from them not only when I say yes, but when they succeed makes that extra few minutes well worth it...at least to me.

I would suggest you have DD talk to the coach and ask him to look at her new pitch. Sooner, rather than later, you will need to bow out of the coach/player relationship and let your DD stand on her own. This would be a good place to start.

 

[CoogansBluff]

11 yo DD has been working on a curve for a few mths. It hasn't really developed yet but she's figured out how to roll her wrist at release and can make the ball go down and away to rhb. Sometimes it move right to left, pitchers view, sometimes it drops, sometimes it goes down and away. I don't know what to call the pitch but its a good enough pitch that she needs to throw it in games. Her normal fb can move in to rhb or just say straight.

How do I approach the coach about calling these pitches in games. Or should I say anything? Should I tell DD to throw whatever she wants depending on count and location the coach calls.

I wouldn't say the pitch breaks hard. It just moves a little.


She could choose fb or down away pitch on outside pitches.

As a coach, I would have no problem w/ a parent (unless there is some prior history of the parent being annoying) explaining to me what you just said, in the way you said it. Coaches should value parents' opinions unless those opinions from a particular parent over time have proven to be not valuable. The only thing I'd be concerned about is whether you're telling your daughter to throw a curve when that is not the pitch that is being called. I might be misunderstanding what you're saying, but I would never say to my DD, 'When he calls for a fastball outside, just throw your curve.'

 

[JAD]

Your DD is throwing is a drop-curve. It is a very effective pitch and Keilani Ricketts lived off that pitch in the college world series - although she is a lefty, so it broke down and in to a right handed batter. Just make sure your DD understands the mechanics when she throws the pitch. In a perfect world, your DD should have a curve ball, drop ball AND a drop curve!

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I would just have her throw it. An experienced coach will notice and ask her what she was throwing. An inexperienced coach isn't going to know anyway. But, yes. She should be the one to mention it to the coach.

 

[justanotherguy]

I'm with Amy. My DD has 3 pitches right now and we've spent a long time discussing situations and when to throw what. This season her travel coach is trying to use her secondary pitches constantly and now my DD has walked more kids than she ever has in the past. Last season (I was an asst coach then) she and her catcher called all the shots. She was flat out dominant and had a lot more fun. If anything, I'd just show it to the catcher so she knows what might be coming.

 

[humpty]

Thanks for the response. She doesn't go to regular team practice the team is 2hrs away so coach cant see it then. It's a new team for her she's only played a cpl tournaments with them so far. I had the conversation with DD about her talking with the coach and showing him the pitch pregame. Tournament this weekend we shall see how it goes.

 

[JoeKC]

This is an interesting thread that is all about communication, or lack there of, which presents a tremendous learning opportunity for the DD, and maybe the adults.

The OP's daughter is taking it upon herself to override the coach's pitch call, and throw a drop curve instead of an outside fastball. That's a fundamental problem between a coach and player that is manifesting itself because there is no communication between the player and the coach. Softball is a game of communication, which requires the team to communicate with each other and with the coaches. It's not possible to play the game successfully without talking. She may be seeing some short-term success by doing this, but she's developing a destructive habit. I have no problem with a pitcher shaking off a call because she feels strongly about something, but if I understand the situation correctly, she is deceiving the coach by accepting the call, and then doing something different. Not good.....

There is not a coach alive that wouldn't want to know about a pitch that the young lady has been working on. For a number of reasons the coach would want to know, including his natural desire to see the girl progress, and the potential of a new arrow in the team's quiver when trying to retire apposing batters... If at eleven years old, the young lady is not comfortable approaching the coach, a simple email, txt or phone call from Dad/Mom letting the coach know that DD has something she would like to discuss will get the conversation initiated. That being said, I would encourage her (even at eleven) to initiate the discussion. This a a very safe environment for her learn a life skill that will serve her well for years to come.