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I'm a coach who also has daughters who pitch. Following are some experienced comments. They may seem contradictary until the conclusion. As is the case in many situations, one can't generalize answers.
1. It is the coaches responsibility to make sure that the most qualified person is calling the pitches. That may or may not be the coach.
2. There is an unhealthy distrust between many coaches and pitchers' parents. Parents may have spent hundreds/thousands of hours on a bucket catching the daughter. They may have spent thousands of dollars on lessons. Once that fact is verified, the coach must respect that committment. The parent has to respect the coaches ultimately authority.
3. Nobody knows the pitcher's pitches better than the person who catches the pitcher the most. That may be the catcher. That may be the parent. That may be the coach.
4. At young ages, the best pitch is a strike. At older ages, the best pitch is a movement pitch located in a corner of the strike zone. Coaches/Parents need to understand this.
5. Coaches and parents have problems delegating.
Summary- At younger ages, the most qualified person should call pitches. (If the girl can only throw fastballs for strikes, there may be no need for pitch calling at all!) This person needs to understand the pitcher, the game situation and what to throw. If a parent is knowledgable about fastpitch softball, they may be the right pitch caller. This will allow the coach to pay attention to defensive positioning... If the parent is not experienced in softball, they should only be an advisor to the coach. Regardless, the coach should be given the ultimate authority.
At older ages, the PITCHER should have final say (unless the coach has a problem getting the girl to throw a certain pitch). The pitcher has a better understanding of what is working and may have actually played more softball than the coach has coached. The pitcher should not be required to throw a pitch in a clutch situation when they are uncomfortable with that pitch. An experienced catcher, who really understands the game, may be able to call pitches as long as an experienced pitcher can shake her off. An experienced coach can call pitches as long as an experienced pitcher can shake her off. The pitcher has responsibility for the pitch, whoever calls them. It's terrible when a high school coach doesn't allow an experienced pitcher shake off signs.
1. It is the coaches responsibility to make sure that the most qualified person is calling the pitches. That may or may not be the coach.
2. There is an unhealthy distrust between many coaches and pitchers' parents. Parents may have spent hundreds/thousands of hours on a bucket catching the daughter. They may have spent thousands of dollars on lessons. Once that fact is verified, the coach must respect that committment. The parent has to respect the coaches ultimately authority.
3. Nobody knows the pitcher's pitches better than the person who catches the pitcher the most. That may be the catcher. That may be the parent. That may be the coach.
4. At young ages, the best pitch is a strike. At older ages, the best pitch is a movement pitch located in a corner of the strike zone. Coaches/Parents need to understand this.
5. Coaches and parents have problems delegating.
Summary- At younger ages, the most qualified person should call pitches. (If the girl can only throw fastballs for strikes, there may be no need for pitch calling at all!) This person needs to understand the pitcher, the game situation and what to throw. If a parent is knowledgable about fastpitch softball, they may be the right pitch caller. This will allow the coach to pay attention to defensive positioning... If the parent is not experienced in softball, they should only be an advisor to the coach. Regardless, the coach should be given the ultimate authority.
At older ages, the PITCHER should have final say (unless the coach has a problem getting the girl to throw a certain pitch). The pitcher has a better understanding of what is working and may have actually played more softball than the coach has coached. The pitcher should not be required to throw a pitch in a clutch situation when they are uncomfortable with that pitch. An experienced catcher, who really understands the game, may be able to call pitches as long as an experienced pitcher can shake her off. An experienced coach can call pitches as long as an experienced pitcher can shake her off. The pitcher has responsibility for the pitch, whoever calls them. It's terrible when a high school coach doesn't allow an experienced pitcher shake off signs.
