Now You Can Have A Winning Relationship

Parents, if you’ve ever come to a big pitching clinic that we’ve put on, or been a part of pitching school, you know about all the work you have to put in to pitching. It turns out it’s not just your daughter who must put in all the effort. You have to be an athlete, too!

As an adult I find it interesting that I constantly re-learn what I am trying to teach young players. Mainly, the more we put into something, the more we get out.

Becoming a pitcher requires a strong partnership between players and their parents. This leadership position requires two hugely important commitments from you both - a physical commitment and an emotional commitment.

On the physical side, you need to catch for her daughter while she practices. Do this until she is inclined to do it on her own, with nothing but a quick reminder. Even then, half the time she still needs you to catch. The most experienced pitchers can’t practice into a net 100% of the time. It’s just boring, among other things. If you want to make her “tougher,” try being tough yourself. It’s raining? I guess you’ll both have to practice in the garage. Your daugther left the balls in your husbands car? I guess it’s time for a jog then. If you think about it, you catching her 4 days per week will make her way tougher than the one practice she manages on her own for 20 minutes into a Bownet.

Emotionally, the parent and daughter will want to develop a high level of respect for each other.  Pitching and catching together can certainly test the relationship!

When a pitcher is grateful for her mom catching for her, it demonstrates respect.  When a dad lays off the mechanical corrections after he realizes that his daughter knows more about pitching than he does (after some time, obviously), he is showing respect.

The partnership needs to form slowly over the years through the development of the habit of practice. I asked a question of a fellow former-pitcher who I took group lessons with growing up. She was an NCAA DIII All-American. Now she’s a mom and a coach. Did she and her dad argue a lot when she was a young pitcher? Did he have to coax her into throwing ever day?

"I don't know, we just did it I guess." She says it as if she never even thought about it before.  Apparently, it wasn't a painful experience. On the other hand, it wasn't an exciting or memorable one either. It was simply

A good habit. 

The exciting memories, however, were achieved when the mundane practice morphed into exceptional pitching performances. It was when hard battles were won on the field and trophies were hoisted overhead.

Before that though, day after day, year after year, the relationship was built slowly on a foundation made up lessons, runs, practices, pep-talks in the car, softball-shaped cookies, ice-packs, and high-fives. None were done alone, but together.

CLICK HERE. I love this video. A pitcher hugs his dad after his MLB debut.