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Open Letter to Pitchers' Parents

What's on your mind?

by Sam » Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:04 am

Don't allow your DD to be overused. Limit her to one game per day. Don't make her throw 100 pitches per day practicing. Don't succomb to the manager's pleading for her to throw her 2nd game of the day....he's out of pitchers and he wants to win and she should do it for the team and he'll make this same argument every week....turn him down....forfeit....its a meaningless tournament....no big deal. Your daughter will thank you later in life...when she can actually use her pitching arm to wash her hair....when she doesn't have scars on her body from the surgeries required to repair the damage from overuse. Treat her like you love her....not like a show dog.
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by Tucson » Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:16 am

3 weeks ago, I went to a DH to see 3 of my students pitch 8U. The team that had hired me, pitched all 3 little girls in 4 innings. The opposing coach threw one girl the entire game. She won. She also pitched the entire second game.

Who the heck cares who wins? In fact, these games are modified coach pitch. If the pitcher throws 4 balls, then the coach comes in and pitches.

:evil:
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by Softballshouldbefun » Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:29 am

AMEN, Sam!

Too often parents will let their daughters pitch just because a coach says they need them to. The coach should be concentrating on developing his other pitchers and letting them pitch during these "life changing" (they think) games and not putting it all on one girl. It's a LOT of pressure for a 10-12 yo girl (or older) to be under both physically and emotionally.

D
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by ice_67 » Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:34 am

Sam makes a great point. We played in a friendly last year where the pitcher was throwing curve balls. Every pitch was a curve ball. By the end of the 1st inning she was starting to favor her throwing arm. Still every pitch called was a curve ball. The 2rd inning she is obviously in pain. A lot of pain. Still every pitch is a curve ball. 3rd inning and she is in so much pain that she is crying on the mound and holding her elbow. Still the coach is calling curve balls. He doesn't even go out and check her. Finally after a couple of more batters he makes a pitching change. I think she also pitched the game before us.
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by dustyshoes » Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:45 am

Sam,

I recall you posted awhile back that your DD was doing fine until you took her to a new pitching coach who changed her mechanics, placing an emphasis on violent and jerky arm movements. I don't mean to reopen an old wound but since pitchers/parents often hear that proper mechanics help prevent overuse injuries perhaps you can elaborate on how much you think your DD's injuries were attributable to her altered mechanics and how much to overuse. How about the age factor? At what age level can a travel team be expacted to handle a tourney with just two pitchers?
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by Sam » Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:57 am

dustyshoes wrote:Sam,

I recall you posted awhile back that your DD was doing fine until you took her to a new pitching coach who changed her mechanics, placing an emphasis on violent and jerky arm movements. I don't mean to reopen an old wound but since pitchers/parents often hear that proper mechanics help prevent overuse injuries perhaps you can elaborate on how much you think your DD's injuries were attributable to her altered mechanics and how much to overuse. How about the age factor? At what age level can a travel team be expacted to handle a tourney with just two pitchers?


I would say that about 20% of my DD's arm problems were due to the change in mechanics....which work quite well for other kids....I don't blame the pitching coach. 80% of my DD's physical issues were directly due to me overusing her.

I don't believe there is an age factor. Would you throw a 16 year old boy complete games twice in a day? Why not? Why a girl, but not the boy? Is it OK to hurt the girl's arm because it is less valuable? (these questions are rhetorical and not aimed at you)

I don't think a team should go through a tournament with less than three pitchers.
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by Tucson » Mon Nov 17, 2008 11:13 am

What about HSs that go with the work horse? She already has her NLI in her pocket. I know that she will pitch every inning of her HS season.

Most of the HS games are meaningless and I like HS softball.

But, there is no substitution even when they are up by 11 runs.
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by cantbelievemyeyes » Mon Nov 17, 2008 11:16 am

Spazsdad wrote:Hey Sam,
I guess this coach and the parents don't subscribe to your philosophy.

cantbelievemyeyes wrote:
diamondmom wrote:in 12U OCBatbusters (Marquez) 1st place
OC Fierce 2nd Place
Revenge 96 3rd Place



Props to the Pitcher from OC Fierce. That girl threw all four games yesterday and helped her team to the Championship game. Nice job!



Just so we are clear, I agree with Sam, I would never let my DD throw four games in one day and I don't agree with the decision of OC Fierce to let their pitcher throw four games in one day. All I was doing was giving the girl props for hanging tough.

Our team has three quality pitchers and each threw a game yesterday, no overuse issues on our team. How do you avoid throwing more than one game in a day if you have to play four games and you have three pitchers?.... just curious. Even the OC Batbusters, who played four games yesterday and have 14 girls on their roster, used their #1 at least twice yesterday that I saw.
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by spazmom » Mon Nov 17, 2008 11:32 am

There has been much talk about the CTS 12u pitcher who pitches every inning of every game for her team. I heard this weekend that the parents would like to move her to a new team but won't consider a team that has other good pitchers on it so she can continue being the only pitcher! Insane parents and the coach of that team ought to be ashamed to allow it...
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by NumeroUno » Mon Nov 17, 2008 11:42 am

Sam thank you for your post, I wish everyone would listen to what you are saying but they won't and some will pay the price.
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