How do you handle it?
After rain all week, the weather actually cleared up for us to play a few games this weekend. Of course, it was quite interesting since we haven't been able to practice for over a week (10U). We lost two games, but overall, the girls played well. There were a few mistakes and the pitchers had a bit of difficulty here and there with the strike zone, but that was expected.
The title of the post, "How do you handle it" comes from the game we had today. It also comes from me as a parent. My oldest daughter is 9, so I don't have lots of experience watching my own child in a pressure situation. It was tough. It was the last inning. We were the home team. We are down my one run. Our top of the lineup is up. Good sign right? After battling to a 3-2 count, our lead off batter hits a line shot, her best hit of the day. The short stop snags it out of the air - nuts! One out.
Our next batter comes up and strikes out. Our third batter gets on base. Right now, I can't even remember how. Two outs, runner on 1b. The fourth batter comes up and hits a weak ball to the 1st baseman, but she hustles down the line. The 1st baseman panics a bit and can't decide whether to take it herself or toss the ball to the 2nd baseman coming over for the cover. She ends up tossing it and the ball is mis-handled. Runner safe at 1st. So 2 outs, runners on 1 and 2.
The next batter works a full count. During her at bat, the runners move to 2nd and 3rd on a passed ball. I was hoping she'd put the ball in play and get that tying run in because then the pressure would be off. My daughter was coming up next and it would have been so much easier on me if this batter brought in the tying run. But she draws a walk instead.
So now there are 2 outs, bases loaded, we're down by 1 run and my daughter is up to bat. I felt more pressure having to watch her in that situation than I did when I was in that situation myself as a player. My daughter is the smallest on the team, I've been telling her all day, "Be patient, make the pitchers work." The first pitch comes in high, above her head. She doesn't chase it, thank goodness. Ball one. Her major batting weakness right now is swinging at high pitches. Pitch selection is an adjustment she's learning to make after playing coach pitch all last season. The pitcher finds the strike zone on the next pitch to even the count 1-1. Darn, no easy walk. The third pitch comes in low on a hop to the catcher. Ball 2 - she's ahead 2-1. Another high pitch, still no chase, she doing good, 3-1.
I know the pitcher is feeling the pressure. I tell my daughter (from the coaches' box at 1st) that the pitch has to be perfect and indicate waist high with my hand. She nods. The pitch comes in, I can tell right away it's going to be high, I'm about to say, "Good eye" but at the last minute, my daughter swings at this obvious ball 4. Oh man, that was the tying run! So now it's bases loaded, two outs, full count, we're down by one. The next pitch has the right height, but she doesn't swing. I see the catcher reach out for the ball and miss. The ball gets by the catcher. I think for sure, it's a ball outside, a walk, we tie the game. Then I see the umpire's hand slowly raise and his fist clench. Strike 3, batter's out, game over. Such a bummer.
*sigh* - that was tough to watch. Not because I thought she did bad, not because we didn't win, but we were sooooo close. She was so close to doing something great for the team, but it just didn't happen. It didn't help that everyone on our side of the field disagreed with the umpire's call, it didn't help that none of the players held it against her, and everyone told her it was alright. It was hard to see her so close to doing something so cool and not get there. I was surprised at how hard she took it. I didn't think it mattered so much to her. I'm glad to know that she wasn't scared and she wasn't nervous. She was upset because she felt jipped by the call. But that's part of the game. My husband and I told her it wasn't her fault the team lost. We made sure she knew that we thought she played a great game. I also told her that umpires are not perfect. Sometimes they make mistakes, but that's part of the game. You always have a chance to make something happen regardless of the calls that are made. If she had held back on the pitch before, she could have avoided the entire situation, but you live and learn. Sometimes, you only get one really good opportunity to do something great for your team, you can't let it go by. Her big opporunity was that high pitch. I also told her, there will be many, many more times where she will have the chance to make game winning plays. Don't dwell on the what if's. Take this game, learn from it, and get better for next time.
You experienced softball parents out there, you know what this is like. Does it get easier? I sure hope so. To make matters worse, she wants to be a pitcher some day - talk about parent stress! I hope I can handle it.
The title of the post, "How do you handle it" comes from the game we had today. It also comes from me as a parent. My oldest daughter is 9, so I don't have lots of experience watching my own child in a pressure situation. It was tough. It was the last inning. We were the home team. We are down my one run. Our top of the lineup is up. Good sign right? After battling to a 3-2 count, our lead off batter hits a line shot, her best hit of the day. The short stop snags it out of the air - nuts! One out.
Our next batter comes up and strikes out. Our third batter gets on base. Right now, I can't even remember how. Two outs, runner on 1b. The fourth batter comes up and hits a weak ball to the 1st baseman, but she hustles down the line. The 1st baseman panics a bit and can't decide whether to take it herself or toss the ball to the 2nd baseman coming over for the cover. She ends up tossing it and the ball is mis-handled. Runner safe at 1st. So 2 outs, runners on 1 and 2.
The next batter works a full count. During her at bat, the runners move to 2nd and 3rd on a passed ball. I was hoping she'd put the ball in play and get that tying run in because then the pressure would be off. My daughter was coming up next and it would have been so much easier on me if this batter brought in the tying run. But she draws a walk instead.
So now there are 2 outs, bases loaded, we're down by 1 run and my daughter is up to bat. I felt more pressure having to watch her in that situation than I did when I was in that situation myself as a player. My daughter is the smallest on the team, I've been telling her all day, "Be patient, make the pitchers work." The first pitch comes in high, above her head. She doesn't chase it, thank goodness. Ball one. Her major batting weakness right now is swinging at high pitches. Pitch selection is an adjustment she's learning to make after playing coach pitch all last season. The pitcher finds the strike zone on the next pitch to even the count 1-1. Darn, no easy walk. The third pitch comes in low on a hop to the catcher. Ball 2 - she's ahead 2-1. Another high pitch, still no chase, she doing good, 3-1.
I know the pitcher is feeling the pressure. I tell my daughter (from the coaches' box at 1st) that the pitch has to be perfect and indicate waist high with my hand. She nods. The pitch comes in, I can tell right away it's going to be high, I'm about to say, "Good eye" but at the last minute, my daughter swings at this obvious ball 4. Oh man, that was the tying run! So now it's bases loaded, two outs, full count, we're down by one. The next pitch has the right height, but she doesn't swing. I see the catcher reach out for the ball and miss. The ball gets by the catcher. I think for sure, it's a ball outside, a walk, we tie the game. Then I see the umpire's hand slowly raise and his fist clench. Strike 3, batter's out, game over. Such a bummer.
*sigh* - that was tough to watch. Not because I thought she did bad, not because we didn't win, but we were sooooo close. She was so close to doing something great for the team, but it just didn't happen. It didn't help that everyone on our side of the field disagreed with the umpire's call, it didn't help that none of the players held it against her, and everyone told her it was alright. It was hard to see her so close to doing something so cool and not get there. I was surprised at how hard she took it. I didn't think it mattered so much to her. I'm glad to know that she wasn't scared and she wasn't nervous. She was upset because she felt jipped by the call. But that's part of the game. My husband and I told her it wasn't her fault the team lost. We made sure she knew that we thought she played a great game. I also told her that umpires are not perfect. Sometimes they make mistakes, but that's part of the game. You always have a chance to make something happen regardless of the calls that are made. If she had held back on the pitch before, she could have avoided the entire situation, but you live and learn. Sometimes, you only get one really good opportunity to do something great for your team, you can't let it go by. Her big opporunity was that high pitch. I also told her, there will be many, many more times where she will have the chance to make game winning plays. Don't dwell on the what if's. Take this game, learn from it, and get better for next time.
You experienced softball parents out there, you know what this is like. Does it get easier? I sure hope so. To make matters worse, she wants to be a pitcher some day - talk about parent stress! I hope I can handle it.
posted by Stacie | 10:17 PM
1 Comments:
I wish I could tell you some good news, but it only gets worse as the kids get older. The competition gets tougher, the coaches expect more, and the parents get more intense! But it's fun, right?
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