Are you a nervous wreck?

[lakers32]

When my dd pitches and in meaningful games I am a nervous wreck. My wife never knows the score or the inning of any game our dd pitches in and she thinks I'm crazy. I pace and eat sunflower seeds the whole game. Last year during championship play, I went through so many bags of seeds, I should have bought stock in Frito-Lay. I was wondering if I suffer alone in my illness. So if you or someone you know suffers from this illness I would love to hear about it. Maybe my wife wouldn't think I've lost my mind .

[18'sdad]

I used to have this disease, but I was cured. It took me quit a while to learn how to be a pitchers dad. Here is the best advice I can give you. Get you a chair and just have a seat. No matter how bad or how well she is pitching don't leave the chair. Just watch the game. When she struggles encourage her. When she is having a good game encourage her. Try to make it a whole game without saying her name. Address her by her number. When you say their name they have a tendancy to look to see who called them. Let her focus on the game and you focus on being dad. Hope this helps. Just sit down and relax. After you watch a few games you will remember how fun this game can be.

[ziggymom]

I am brand new to this site and I've already found someone just like me! When my DD pitches, I wear a track in the dirt from pacing. My husband thinks I'm crazy ~ never bothers him when she pitches because he played almost every position out there at some time during his life and can figure out what's wrong if she struggles. Our youngest DD sang in a talent show the other night though and my husband was a wreck, so I guess it just depends on your perspective. Maybe we'll meet up sometime and pace together...

[bkatona]

My wife is the nervous one when DD pitches.....when I was younger I played and currently am a coach on DD's team.....during a game I'm busy making sure DD's defense is positioned properly and ready for the play in front of them....DD is smart enough to play her own position...if she struggles pitching, at this age it's a simple mechanical thing (Much like knowing what you do wrong playing golf), so a simple thing like "arm speed" will correct a mistake...after the inning/game Dad is there for either a high 5 or a shoulder to cry on...that's a big part of the job.

[softball_parent]

I was always a nervous wreck, even when she played college and I watched on gametracker on the computer. I remember a high school game against a rival team that had a travel ball pitcher who played D1 college at Washington. My dd pitching coach came and I said to him I think I am going to throw up. Mine was a freshman pitching varsity, the other teams pitcher was a senior and very well known. We ended up winning 1-0 and it was the first time our school ever beat theirs. I was a nervous wreck the entire season. You just learn to deal with it. I finally started reading a book while she pitched because no matter how hard I tried I couldn't control her pitching or the batter's hitting.

[Tucson]

No, never. I had confidence that my kid had done all he/she could to prepare.

I honestly would stay away if I was nervous. Don't you think your DD sees you pacing around?

Maybe I have spent enough years playing the game that I know it is just that. Or maybe I have had enough problems in life that I put softball in perspective.

[Paco]

Softball is the reason I took up photography. It allows me to concentrate on taking pictures rather than worrying about my DD’s playing. For some reason I can watch her other sports and not get too wound up. But when she is playing softball, I have to have something to distract me or I turn into a nervous wreck.

[DonnieS]

I am not either. I would like to say that I have to be careful not to show emotions because she might feed off of that - but honestly she doesnt care what I or anyone else out there thinks. She works hard to get ready - and then plays the game.

[coachkev]

What is this a support group?? LOL

Hi my name is DAD and my daughter pitches...

The first step to over coming your illness is amitting you have the problem.

[artomatic]

honestly, i'm too busy calling the pitches, and coaching the team to get too nervous about it. plus, she is just part of many girls out there working together.
i talk more to the catcher anyways, and she is the one who usually goes out to the mound if needed.
it also helps that my kid has a pretty calm disposition out there regardless of what is going on in the game.
hopefully some day down the road i will be able to just sit and watch and enjoy my kid competing.