I suppose in all fairness I should should have asked if this particular variable has been considered. Again my previous post was just an opinion. Meant no harm. Just possible constructive criticism.
However what I quoted might be worth some attention. It was not said with malice. Sometimes it is the mom or dad. Its hard to take this into consideration. I understand that.
But as again this is just an opinion and like butts everyone has one.
My post that was deleted was not in any way directed toward the kid. IF it was taken that way I do apologize.
It was for the dad/parent to consider. This is my last post on this.
Again my apology.
It was for the dad/parent to consider. This is my last post on this.
Again my apology.
This was a very frustrating thread to read through.
I thought some of TigerPawMom's and CADad's comments were thoughtful and useful, and a few others as well, but I've got a suggestion, Fivetools, that's a little bit different than the ones I've seen in this thread. For those that don't wish to wade through my blah, blah, blah the suggestion is in the last paragraph.
My suggestion is similar to CADad's in some respects, because it seeks to defuse the volatile relationship of a baseball-savvy dad with his struggling teenage son.
It may not be time for your son to quit baseball, it may instead be the right time for baseball to be totally his experience--and not so much yours, FiveTools. Before this sounds all touchy-feely New Age to you consider a story that Tom House told me at one of his pitching clinics:
Tom's son was very athletic and was hangin' with the Texas Rangers--you know: Nolan Ryan, Jamie Moyer, Mitch Williams, et al, when he was just a kid. Dad has obviously coached a lot of good pitchers and dad figured he could turn his son into a successful pitcher, right? Wrong. Technically, he certainly could have done that but after awhile Tom's boy did not want to walk in his dad's footsteps anymore and he didn't find any joy attempting to live his dad's life--he wanted to live his own life. His son is a very accomplished surfer and is by all accounts successful in business ventures related to his interests; however, that no longer has anything to do with baseball.
At this point your son should be the sole arbiter of his own personal interests--if baseball really is still important to him, maybe consider buying some high-level mentoring for him that does not involve you quite so much. That might be a nice gift if he still does love baseball--just a week or two of vacation time spent working out with a really outstanding coach.
I thought some of TigerPawMom's and CADad's comments were thoughtful and useful, and a few others as well, but I've got a suggestion, Fivetools, that's a little bit different than the ones I've seen in this thread. For those that don't wish to wade through my blah, blah, blah the suggestion is in the last paragraph.
My suggestion is similar to CADad's in some respects, because it seeks to defuse the volatile relationship of a baseball-savvy dad with his struggling teenage son.
It may not be time for your son to quit baseball, it may instead be the right time for baseball to be totally his experience--and not so much yours, FiveTools. Before this sounds all touchy-feely New Age to you consider a story that Tom House told me at one of his pitching clinics:
Tom's son was very athletic and was hangin' with the Texas Rangers--you know: Nolan Ryan, Jamie Moyer, Mitch Williams, et al, when he was just a kid. Dad has obviously coached a lot of good pitchers and dad figured he could turn his son into a successful pitcher, right? Wrong. Technically, he certainly could have done that but after awhile Tom's boy did not want to walk in his dad's footsteps anymore and he didn't find any joy attempting to live his dad's life--he wanted to live his own life. His son is a very accomplished surfer and is by all accounts successful in business ventures related to his interests; however, that no longer has anything to do with baseball.
At this point your son should be the sole arbiter of his own personal interests--if baseball really is still important to him, maybe consider buying some high-level mentoring for him that does not involve you quite so much. That might be a nice gift if he still does love baseball--just a week or two of vacation time spent working out with a really outstanding coach.
He is obviously thinking too much. My son had a similar problem and (this may sound stupid), but he started singing to himself on the field and mound. A little "love will keep us together" got him to relax. It worked for him.
Don't know why he choose that song though!
Don't know why he choose that song though!
quote:Don't know why he choose that song though!
Because Rick Vaughn already had dibs on "Wild Thing"......
It's hard to envision what problems a person is having throwing without actually having seen them. Are they staying down? Are they trying to be too fine with their throws?
The problem doesn't sound physical as much as it shows a lack of confidence in their skills. You need to work on the fundamentals and make it easy without thinking what your going to as you're making the play. Think what you're going to do when the ball is hit to you before it happens. Every pitch, the batter is hitting a ball to you. You want the ball hit to you.
If anything just concentrate on fielding the ball, setting yourself, and everytime, and I mean everytime, the target to throw at is the first baseman's head. Gravity will take care of the rest. Keep it simple. You can do this.
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The problem doesn't sound physical as much as it shows a lack of confidence in their skills. You need to work on the fundamentals and make it easy without thinking what your going to as you're making the play. Think what you're going to do when the ball is hit to you before it happens. Every pitch, the batter is hitting a ball to you. You want the ball hit to you.
If anything just concentrate on fielding the ball, setting yourself, and everytime, and I mean everytime, the target to throw at is the first baseman's head. Gravity will take care of the rest. Keep it simple. You can do this.
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So did the accuracy ever get better?
Hi Fivetools,
I don't know if you're still around, but I had a bit of a revelation with my son a few weeks ago. He has had accuracy problems all summer. Mainly throwing balls high that sail right over the head.
I fixed this by having him go forward when he throws. A simple hop forward, with absolutely no leaning backward. Keep the shoulders level and get the front side to match the back side. Whenever my son gets into a funk, that little hop step gets him back on track right away. It took me a whole summer of playing catch to see this. I had gotten to the point where I knew as soon as he went back to throw it was going to be wild, but I didn't know why. Now I know why. Better yet, now he knows why and he's fixed it.
So, with respect to your son, it could be a lot of things, but I'll add one more. If the legs are disconnected from the torso and arms, the ball will go everywhere but where you want it.
I don't know if you're still around, but I had a bit of a revelation with my son a few weeks ago. He has had accuracy problems all summer. Mainly throwing balls high that sail right over the head.
I fixed this by having him go forward when he throws. A simple hop forward, with absolutely no leaning backward. Keep the shoulders level and get the front side to match the back side. Whenever my son gets into a funk, that little hop step gets him back on track right away. It took me a whole summer of playing catch to see this. I had gotten to the point where I knew as soon as he went back to throw it was going to be wild, but I didn't know why. Now I know why. Better yet, now he knows why and he's fixed it.
So, with respect to your son, it could be a lot of things, but I'll add one more. If the legs are disconnected from the torso and arms, the ball will go everywhere but where you want it.
