when to specialize?

[SoftballSoccerDad]

There are a lot of kids wanting to be T-H-E pitcher and the good news AND bad is that you are the center of attention. There is also, IMHO, a certain ego aspect by both the pitcher and the parent. Great catchers are hard to find. Durability, the willingness not to be intimidated, the ability to run the field, be the lead on defense and learn how to call pitches is required. Catching is a brutal position but worth it if you are good. Pitching is the QB position, lots of attention, lots of glory, lots of failure. A lot depends on your DD's disposition. I would humbly suggest you be firmly established in one position or the other by 12U.

Firmly established by 12u?? DD plays P and 1B, but did not win either position in all-stars (SS/OF). She told her coaches she wants to catch this fall, but so far, they've only got her playing P/1B, because she is her team's best option at both positions.

I don't want to cry the blues or give some self-serving woe is me diatribe, but it is tough being the parent of a young rec ball pitcher who's pretty good. TB coaches have tried to recruit her and the parents of other fairly talented rec players around here since the girls were 6-7 years old. I know other parents have their minds made up about what positions their DD's will play by the time the girls are 8, but isn't it normal for many athletes to still be investigating and discovering their passions around ages 11-12 or even a little older? My DD puts a lot of time into her pitching, but I know a lot of her motivation comes from what you described. She likes being in the circle. Will it do much good to spend time doing catcher workouts with her if the coaches won't ever put her there?

[Sam]

There are a lot of kids wanting to be T-H-E pitcher and the good news AND bad is that you are the center of attention. There is also, IMHO, a certain ego aspect by both the pitcher and the parent. Great catchers are hard to find. Durability, the willingness not to be intimidated, the ability to run the field, be the lead on defense and learn how to call pitches is required. Catching is a brutal position but worth it if you are good. Pitching is the QB position, lots of attention, lots of glory, lots of failure. A lot depends on your DD's disposition. I would humbly suggest you be firmly established in one position or the other by 12U.

Firmly established by 12u?? DD plays P and 1B, but did not win either position in all-stars (SS/OF). She told her coaches she wants to catch this fall, but so far, they've only got her playing P/1B, because she is her team's best option at both positions.

I don't want to cry the blues or give some self-serving woe is me diatribe, but it is tough being the parent of a young rec ball pitcher who's pretty good. TB coaches have tried to recruit her and the parents of other fairly talented rec players around here since the girls were 6-7 years old. I know other parents have their minds made up about what positions their DD's will play by the time the girls are 8, but isn't it normal for many athletes to still be investigating and discovering their passions around ages 11-12 or even a little older? My DD puts a lot of time into her pitching, but I know a lot of her motivation comes from what you described. She likes being in the circle. Will it do much good to spend time doing catcher workouts with her if the coaches won't ever put her there?

If your kid pitches well, her coach would have to be an idiot to put her behind the plate. The catcher is susceptible to bumps, bruises, broken fingers, et al on pitches, collisions at home plate, fatigue on hot days, and chronic knee issues. This is why good catchers are difficult to find. Its a war of attrition. When the kids find out that they hurt all the time after they play, many of them give it up. I would rather play without a catcher than put my pitcher behind the plate.

[joemcq51]

You are one foul ball away from not being a pitcher anymore. I can't imagine any coach would want to put a pitcher behind the plate. Too risky

[fasterpitch92701]

Three additional thoughts...

First, your daughter is playing rec ball. Visit multiple quality travelball teams and watch the pitchers and catchers very, very closely. Consider asking a travelball coach to evaluate your DD. Your current coach may be doing what is in the best interest of your rec team based on available talent (understandable) but if you really want to play another position then talking with a travelball coach may... be of value. Have your DD take a few beginning catching lessons from a GOOD coach. Spend the money for 4 lessons. It may be revealing.

Second, you can't play both positions even if you have the talent. Really.

Third.... from a quote

I know other parents have their minds made up about what positions their DD's will play by the time the girls are 8...

The PLAYER needs to want to play whatever position "it" is, not the parent. The parent needs to be supportive and encouraging and... and... let the direction go where it goes for the daughter, not the parent. The parent needs to shut up and let the girl play the position she WANTS to play. If the person with a passion for a position is the parent you will have failure. There are WAY too many egos in softball, on and off the field.


You have an athletic daughter. Seek venues that allow her to evauate realistic options. THAT is, IMHO, is a viable parental role.

Enjoy in good health.

[thor2173]

thanks for the input. we are playing travel. and she has a very well sought after catching coach and a great pitching coach. she did try out for several travel teams this season. she is second year ten. she had offers from 3 teams to be the starting catcher and 2 teams to pitch. one team wanted her for both. we have only been in TB for a year and she loves both. personaly I think she would make a better catcher, but she still wants to do both. my question was when do decide which one. From what I've read it looks like within the next year or so she should decide.
thanks for the advice.

[ICMTM]

My thinking is kids should play all over the field at all ages and feel comfortable doing it. I get that certain girls have different athletic abilities. Not everyone can pitch, play CF, etc. Except for pitching though a player should know how to play the other 8 positions competently.

What is the advantage of being a 1 trick pony?

[fasterpitch92701]

No advantage to a one-trick pony. However, reality is... reality. Certain positiions require a lot of constant practice and that limits versatility. How many times have you seen a pitcher playing first base? A bunch (I will bet). There is a reason... probably that the pitcher has a decent bat, better than someone else on the bench. How many catchers play CF? Not many. I know of one (eh, eh.... ) but it's few and far limited. Do you want your pitcher playing catcher, short, third... where the chance of injury is greater, particularly for catcher.

Would I like a second baseman or CF that can play third, SS, first... absolutely. Move them around. For several positions it works, particularly at the younger ages. But when you move to the older ages the reality is that you will see specialization at pitcher, catcher and to some degree third and short. Just my perspective. No slandering of any position intended or implied.

Enjoy in good health,

[SoftballSoccerDad]

The PLAYER needs to want to play whatever position "it" is, not the parent. The parent needs to be supportive and encouraging and... and... let the direction go where it goes for the daughter, not the parent. The parent needs to shut up and let the girl play the position she WANTS to play. If the person with a passion for a position is the parent you will have failure. There are WAY too many egos in softball, on and off the field.

Around here, it seems very few kids are allowed to choose their own direction and the parents are openly proud about it. My DD is only 9 and has already been on multiple teams with players whose parents made them play and it has always been apparent. The worst cases were when the kid who did not want to play was the coach's DD.

It's great having a daughter who loves sports and who's been blessed with certain physical gifts. She is a smart girl, but doesn't understand why her coach won't let her catch in games. She always asks to catch for her friends who are just beginning to pitch and she has also had catching instruction at a couple of college camps. She's 9, so she does not get why she's too valuable in pitching to be used behind the plate. She loves being a #1 pitcher, so she works hard at it and practices a lot. Her coach was honest and told her he couldn't use her in any games, because she needs to always be ready to pitch just in case. I don't think she'd get hurt being catcher every once in a while, but the coach agrees with some of what was said here about there being more risk of injury and muscle fatigue for catchers.

[ICMTM]

No advantage to a one-trick pony. However, reality is... reality. Certain positiions require a lot of constant practice and that limits versatility. How many times have you seen a pitcher playing first base? A bunch (I will bet). There is a reason... probably that the pitcher has a decent bat, better than someone else on the bench. How many catchers play CF? Not many. I know of one (eh, eh.... ) but it's few and far limited. Do you want your pitcher playing catcher, short, third... where the chance of injury is greater, particularly for catcher.

Would I like a second baseman or CF that can play third, SS, first... absolutely. Move them around. For several positions it works, particularly at the younger ages. But when you move to the older ages the reality is that you will see specialization at pitcher, catcher and to some degree third and short. Just my perspective. No slandering of any position intended or implied.

Enjoy in good health,

The reason why CF don't catch is because coaches tend not to make catchers out of people with blazing fast speed. Other than pitching and catching the skills necessary to play one position over the next doesn't vary greatly. The reason a person plays middle infield versus the corners usually has to do more with athleticism than it does training.