I have an 11 year old dd that is a pitcher. A few weeks ago she was pitching to her coach and he hit a line drive straight into her leg accidentally. It hit her so hard it knocked her off her feet. Now she is afraid. She is scared to death to pitch and is intentionally pitching to the ground or in the air so there is no chance of anyone hitting the ball. Does anyone have any tips I can use to help her get over this? Thanks in advance.
Pitching and Pitchers Discussion Gun shy
- Thread starter maciec
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Stretch
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Why would a coach be taking full swings off an 11 YO to begin with? That's a lose / lose situation just waiting to happen.
I agree it wasn't the best decision and he feels awful. But at this point it is what it is and I need to get her over her fear. She is afraid everywhere.....at bat, on the mound, everywhere she goes she moves her body out of the way and reaches to catch it. She is a pretty tough girl but is just scared. I guess time will fix it, I was just hoping for a quick cure lol
MD 20/20
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My DD is a 13U pitcher now. At 10U she was drilled in the chest with a line drive. She was OK, got back on the rubber and finished the game (I think that is the only reason why she is still pitching. Given time to think about it......maybe not) anyway, she since has worn the undershirt with the chest pad as well as a McDavid hex-padded sprotsbra. She now wears the evoshield top. If I were you, and she really wants to get back into that circle(That is the key!!!! It's about her wanting it, not you) get her the long Trace pads for her shins. They make them in every color. Put whatever armor on her that makes her comfortable. As time passes, she "should" be OK and the armor should start to come off.
Again.....Why a coach would even be hitting off of live pitching is beyond me. These kind of accidents do happen and are so easily avoided. Sorry to hear about this accident. God speed in her mental as well as physical recovery.
Again.....Why a coach would even be hitting off of live pitching is beyond me. These kind of accidents do happen and are so easily avoided. Sorry to hear about this accident. God speed in her mental as well as physical recovery.
wow
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Agree with post above.. Evo shield will be your best friend. Face mask and all. The shin guards are a great idea. Most of all get back in the circle and work the drill where she pitches and then have someone throw tennis balls back at her from behind the catcher. Couple of things here. Teaches her to defend herself against line drives. Second with no batter, the fear of being hit by a hard ball goes away. About a week or so of pitching and having tennis balls come right back at her will allow her to "train" for the hard hit balls.
And stay in the circle!
And stay in the circle!
daboss
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Pad her up as mentioned above and with enough armour and will she'll get her feet back under her. Yes, I was trying to make everyone giggle in hopes of lightening the topic. As mentioned, it needs to be on her timeline and progress at her speed.
I use foam balls to improve the pitchers reaction and give them a chance. They don't hurt and the brain thinks they are a softball.
She'll pitch and I'll throw them at her; decreasing the reaction time as she gets better.
The emphasis is not on catching the ball but deflecting it away with her glove hand and not her pitching hand.
Most coaches only work with pitchers standing and waiting, not in the natural pitching motion, a position she is never in.
I believe that this training improves her fielding and increases her confidence in her ability to defend herself.
I will also pile on and add that a mask should be on every daughters face when she steps in the circle. If you don't believe me then just step to the front of the circle and have an assistant coach hit you a bucket of balls from the front of the box (about 34'). If you survive that try it on one foot. That is what we ask our dd's to do everyday. Protect them. The chest protectors have gotten lighter and the face masks now come in color (I like the wire ones) The BS about college coaches not recruiting kids in masks is just that. If she posts the numbers she'll get recruited.
She'll pitch and I'll throw them at her; decreasing the reaction time as she gets better.
The emphasis is not on catching the ball but deflecting it away with her glove hand and not her pitching hand.
Most coaches only work with pitchers standing and waiting, not in the natural pitching motion, a position she is never in.
I believe that this training improves her fielding and increases her confidence in her ability to defend herself.
I will also pile on and add that a mask should be on every daughters face when she steps in the circle. If you don't believe me then just step to the front of the circle and have an assistant coach hit you a bucket of balls from the front of the box (about 34'). If you survive that try it on one foot. That is what we ask our dd's to do everyday. Protect them. The chest protectors have gotten lighter and the face masks now come in color (I like the wire ones) The BS about college coaches not recruiting kids in masks is just that. If she posts the numbers she'll get recruited.
I would personally find her another position to play now.
1. She will either love the new position, or
2. go nuts seeing someone other than herself on the mound, and she will get back in there. If she's eventually able to get back to pitching, get her some evoshield shinguards, Rip it mask and maybe even a chest protector. She will soon realize that other 11u cant hit as hard as a grown man and the shinguards and chest protector will be the first things to go (because they are hot). Keep the facemask though. Can't put pretty back together as good as God gave her to begin with.
1. She will either love the new position, or
2. go nuts seeing someone other than herself on the mound, and she will get back in there. If she's eventually able to get back to pitching, get her some evoshield shinguards, Rip it mask and maybe even a chest protector. She will soon realize that other 11u cant hit as hard as a grown man and the shinguards and chest protector will be the first things to go (because they are hot). Keep the facemask though. Can't put pretty back together as good as God gave her to begin with.
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