Coach May, another great thread! Last college season, my daughter asked me a question that I caught me off guard. She asked why it was that every time she stepped up to the plate, that I got out of my chair and walked around. I had no idea that she noticed that. She told me to sit down and that she was going to get a hit. The "vibe" given off by some parents does matter to some players.
My daughter has been in a slump that has been unreal. It would be a long story detailing everything that has happened but to give one example from this past weekend, she was hitting off of an All American pitcher. Bases were loaded and she crushed a low line drive to the 4 hole. The 2B dove for the ball and caught it going away toward the OF on one hop. 2B came to her knees and had no play on my daughter at 1st. However, her team was screaming home. The runner on 3rd thought that the ball was caught in the air and despite another runner standing on 3rd didn't take off for home. So, there was a force out at home, no hit and no rbi. After the game, the wife and I were as exhausted as our child. We have agonized all the way through this. She came up to me, gave me a hug and cried. She wanted to know what to do. I told her that she is an adult now. She has to "change the things that she can change, accept the things that she can't and have the wisdom to know the difference." Keep hitting the ball hard. As her dad, I can't coach her anymore. I can't fix this or that. I have to be her biggest fan and be there for her. Again, nice thread.