Pitching lessons and the Varsity Coach

I would tell. Every coach I've ever had has been pleased to learn I take lessons. No where in your message did you mention that the coach has anything against pitching coaches, and I doubt he would. In my opinion, tell him.

NJ Pitch

I suggest waiting until the teams are selected and then having your son talk with his coach about pitching lessons and how best to schedule the sessions around his HS practice/game schedule. It is important to work with the HS coach so there are no surprises. Worst thing you can do as a player is have a situation where your HS coach calls on you to pitch and you can't because of a sore arm from an outside pitching lesson. Talk with the coach. Unless you are on a standard pitching rotation, it is often difficult to plan pitching lessons outside of HS during the season.

If any of my guys show the intiative to go get pitching lessons I will support them. I do counsel them to find a reputable trainer who has a solid record, but I am always impressed by a young man caring enough to grow in the off-season.

RHP05Parent has got it right. You MUST talk with your coach whether you are on Varsity or JV. If the answer is OK, he will want to work out a schedule for your lessons that don't conflict with his practices or make you tired for his games. If the answer is No, you'd better find that out now rather than in the middle of the season, at which point your coach will be very angry.

OHBaseball24,
I agree with most that the high school practice and team needs come before the individual player’s workouts, but at the same time I think we are making a mountain out of a mole hill. We sometimes make problems happen or at least anticipate a looming problem that never develops. I would never think twice about whether or not the coach liked the fact that I was getting my son pitching or hitting lessons on the side. I helped my son do both all through high school and I’m sure the high school coach knew it, but we never discussed it that I can remember…… . . I would have discussed it if needed to be discussed. No, don’t come to practice and tell the high school coach you won’t be able to throw because you just threw a pen with your outside pitching coach. I think common sense should dictate how we go about it.
It doesn’t take a PHD in psychology, or for one to be clairvoyant, to understand how a player succeeds in baseball. It’s really pretty basic. Talent, hustle, desire, and attitude will get you on the field and the LACK of talent, hustle, desire, and attitude will put you on the bench. I’m sure there are isolated instances where other circumstances have negatively impacted a player’s opportunity to get playing time but not often. In my opinion, I wouldn’t think pitching or hitting lessons would fall into that category.
Fungo

Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.

The issue is not about whether a HS coach can dictate your taking lessons, its about staying healthy and at peak performance. As a position player you could spend time in a lesson and then go out and play a game without injury. However, this question is specifically about pitching lessons. Off-season, lessons are no problem. In season, pitchers need to follow specific throwing and conditioning routines for pre-game and post game days. If you are not a starter in a rotation, then you're jeopardizing your game performance and possible injury. I still say coordinating any outside pitching lessons with your HS coach is the way to go.

RHP05 - You are correct in an ideal situation. Unfortunately, that is not always the case -- our hs coach feels that his program is adequate for the needs of his players - regardless of their position or abilities. So, we (and most other pitching parents) have our kids take lessons outside of his program - as have most before us. He doesn't ask, we don't volunteer. We work lessons around practices and starts, and everyone is happy. I wish it was different, but that is the way it is in our situation.

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Pay attention to the feedback that takes you where you want to go!

Last year our HS coach told the pitchers if they where taking lessons that as soon as practice started that that had to stop. no out side pitching lessons.
He did let the boy,s keep taking hitting lessons.
I realize that there are good reasons for not letting the pitchers throw out side of HS practice. A coach wants to know how much a kid has thrown when he last threw and so on.
It seems like you have to stop just when the lessons are starting to get exciting though, oh well.

My sons' pitching instructor sent a letter to the high school coach, asking for his personal evaluation of each and asked what areas the coach perceived to be needing work, which I thought was a bright move, if only for PR value. Our coach welcomed the instruction, but in season high school gets top priority and the only time they'd go to the instructor was if there was a specific issue to be addressed.

How diffiuclt is it to schedule your lessons at times the HS team is not practicing or playing ??

If the sessions do not interfere with the HS teams activity why worry about what the coach thinks. If it is making the player a better player and not interfering with the team activities the coach in all probabilty will be happy.

I am with Fungo--unless the topic comes up why bring it up yourself provided as I say the private sesssions do not interfere with the teams activities

TRhit

Our summer/fall baseball (and pitching) coach sends letters out to each of his players HS coach intermittently all summer/fall/winter about how they are doing, training schedule they are on and progress they are seeing. The HS coaches, almost universally, appreciate the information and allow these players to work their pre-season schedules to accomplish both.

The only reason that this should be a problem with the coach is if it is disrupting the teams schedule. If you can't practice with the pitchers that day because you have a pitching lesson that night or something, I think that would be a huge problem.

"Forget the curveball Ricky, give em the heater."

This topic couldn’t have come up at a more appropriate time.
Last night our head Coach told our boys, he is thinking about canceling all outside lessons.
When our son told us of this, my wife and I just couldn’t believe it.
Then our son told us the coach didn’t approve of some of the mechanical changes he had made over the fall.
You know, I could understand where he’s coming from if our pitching instructor was just some guy, but
In our case, my sons pitching instructor went to a top D1 school, and is currently playing 2 A pro ball. And who is also a left-handed pitcher.
I’m not trying to be disrespectful to the coach, but I think he should understand that we are not trying to underscore his authority.
We are just trying to give our son the best opportunity to make it to the next level.
Randall

These are all great points, and this is a personal decision how you want to handle it. You can take a bit of advice from everyone and use it to your best advantage.
However, from a pitcher's mom's point of view, I would first be more concerned with how much throwing your son will do in a week. That definetly needs to be discussed with the coach, do not hide the fact that your son has pitching lessons, this may do more harm than good in the long run. Your son making JV or Varsity may make a difference.

Randall
I feel your pain. The quicker your son learns to keep his outside lessons quiet, tell the high school coach he's a genius while doing what the REAL pitching coach tells him, as the high school coach doesn't know the difference, the more successful your son will be.

Its all about control and credit for the high school coach.

Keep in mind that throwing is not pitching !!!

There is a big difference

TRhit

Is there a rule against a college coach giving private lessons to a potential recruit?
When my son was in high school I checked with several coaches and one Div I coach told me he could not do it because he was a potential recruit or something like that. I had to go to a NAIA coach.

I'd recommend being open with the HS coach and adjusting the pitching lessons around his HS practice and game schedule. Players who are working with private coaches need to learn tact. They should listen to the HS coach and do what he says during practice and games and then go back and review it with their private instructor. They should never tell the coach he is wrong and insist on doing it the private coach's way.

I don't know about the rule or not. I asked the D1 coach if he knew of someone in the local area who did private pitching lessons, and he recommended someone on his staff who did private lessons. Although the lessons are conducted at the college and on there off days, I am sure he is doing it not affiliated with the college. As far as a potential recruit, I would think that summer/winter camps would also qualify as "teaching potential recruits". I just don't know.

As far as my son getting the pitching lessons, what I was concerned about was the fact that he does bullpen work on Wed or Thursday and his lessons were on Monday. However, this monday was a rainout, and we rescheduled for Wednesday. I just didn't want my son going to lessons on Wed, and then turning around and pitchng bull on Thursday. I think he should tell the coach, that he had pitching lessons on Wednesday night, and could he please skip his turn in the bull. After all the bull lessons on Thursday is pitching to a catcher in the bullpen, with no one watching. There is no coach there to correct any mechanical failures, or to have a time/pitch limit. I for one, would think he would get alot more out of the lessons than the bull session. My one and only concern is the wellbeing of my son, and to get better to have a chance at the next level. I certainly would not jeopardize my son's pitching arm for any reason. I think we will also shut it down once the season starts (Feb 16), because as many of you have pointed out, it would simply be logistically impossible, not knowing when he was going to pitch (in relief or start) during the season. After all, the coach doesn't consult with me. Anyway, thank you all for the info, you are the best.

TR,
Thank you for pointing that out to me, I stand corrected, as a pitcher's mom, I would be concerned about how much pitching (not throwing) your son does in a week.

Lots of great points and everyone's situation is different. But approach and attitude make big impressions on teenagers. How do you want them to handle conflicting situations in their life? Ignore the person in charge if they feel he's incompetent? Be secretive, just don't tell? (This never works among teenagers) Or be upfront and try to work out a compromise? Yeah, it's just baseball lessons, right(?) But consider how you might be setting up a pattern on how to handle difficult situations. Sorry, much too serious for this early…. Can we get back to having Ball-Dads in the dugout?

A couple of points that I would like to make.

First, you have to judge each situation as it comes. If you ask the coach how he feels about private lessons and he has a problem with them and he is clueless as to mechanics, then you have a decision to make. if he is competent, then it is easier to follow his lead.

Second. Not many coaches that I see have the staff to run a proper throwing program for their pitchers. Not enough time, not enough bullpun, understaffed, not knowledgeable on how to run it, etc. I feel that if the coach is neglecting the kid, then it is up to me to get him the instruction that he needs. I personally would not hide it from the coach. During my sons soph year, I went to the coach and said that I was going to get him private lessons. He said he handled the pitchers. I pointed out that he not given my son a bullpen with instruction in 3 weeks. He had only told him to go throw with a ccatcher and a senior. I asked him if that was his standard method for handling pitchers. From that time on he gave him a bullpen per week. My quesion is would he have bothered had he not known my son had some talent.

Thirdly, (just an observation) most hs coaches lack the skill needed to take kids to higher levels. I would definitely get my child out of hs season lessons.

Good luck whatever you chose.

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

Thank you so much. I really would just like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of you who responded to this thread. In your own way you are all a tremendous source of ideas and opinions. Each and everyone of you had something positive to say about the situation, and me, my wife, and son are really grateful that we found this website. The journey is just starting for us (he is an '06), but we feel like you are all along for the ride with us! Take care and keep smiling.