I know some of you gals were softball players. How long (if at all) did you work and/or practice with your sons? Dad works late hours and my sons are constantly wanting me to practice with them. Ground balls and fly balls are okay but the 13 yo is needing me to catch bullpens. I wasn't a catcher and frankly he throws pretty fast (low/mid 70's at last check) with a ball that moves. He scares me (okay-so maybe I'm getting older and the reflexes don't work as well, my eyes don't see as well, and my body isn't in quite the same shape as in college). Just curious as to how many of you ladies did/do the same things and for how lon?

Bbfam ...

I let hubby handle all that because when I was about 12, I caught my cousin's fast ball with my lower lip and that ended my career behind the plate.

In all seriousness, it might be beneficial to find one of the local high school catchers ... perhaps even a softball catcher ... to work the bullpen with your son. Or have him do as our son does on occasion, even now at the pro level, and have him throw into a net. A bucket of used baseball's, or a partial bucket, and a 'strike zone' painted on the netting will help him keep going when no one can actually catch his pitches.

Good luck.

One of the meanest but most truthful things that my dad ever told me was that I "throw like a girl". I could (and still can) catch anything, but I still throw like girls USED TO throw....(I am pre-Title 9)

My poor son. When he was young we would play catch and one day when he was 5, he told me proudly to "Go back, Mom. I can throw that far." But I couldn't! And alas, that ended my playing catch days with him. With any of the children, actually.

On the 4th of July, my quaint little town sponsors little games of skill and stuff after the parade. The Little League would sponsor a "speed pitch" booth using a speed gun to measure how fast you could throw a baseball. I ran it for many years. When my youngest daughter was still 4 we gunned balls that she had thrown to see how fast she could throw a baseball. And then when the area was absolutely free of everyone--I wanted no witnesses, I threw. The same number of balls, from the same distance. She beat me. By 5 miles an hour. I have never picked up a ball with the hope of throwing it again.

It was pitiful. I am an embarrassment to my children's name. And to the game of "catch".

I played catch with my son for many years.... did lots of fielding drills where I could throw the ball but wouldn't have to catch it. Throwing was never my issue... catching was!! I didn't throw to him neither though after about age 11 I think... maybe 10. I can remember the last time I did. We were in a cage and I was struggling to prevent being hit back by a ball even though I was behind a screen. I can remember looking over and seeing a look of horror on his coach's face as he approached us. He quickly suggested I exit and allow him to take over. I didn't argue and never tried to throw BP again.

I guess basically after about age 12... he worked with friends and the coaches that were happy to play a little extra catch before or after.

I played college fastpitch softball, but never wanted to play catcher since I tried it a few times as a kid. I hated having the bat swinging so close to my head! Even without a batter, I never tried to be a catcher for my pitcher son. I did help him out by filming with a camcorder from behind a net he was throwing into, so that he could work on mechanics. And I never lost my skills at the position of chauffeur!

This thread is making me laugh! Same thing here. I stopped catching when son was around 11. I was acared to death! Then I tred standing in the box while he pitched and dad caught. nope, won't do that either.

lafmom kudos to throwing bp! wow!!

55mom -

I too stood in the box to let my then 8 yo pitch to his dad. It only took him hitting me once for me to retire from that position. I don't play catch either!

I knew my son was lucky! I don a full set of catcher's gear to catch that kid and hate every minute. I was a pitcher and always hated catching. Always had the utmost respect for them.

Lafmom-I feel your pain. We have the cage in the front yard and also do the "duck and cover" maneuver.

Dad, unfortunately, works pretty late hours and son's team is over 2 hours away. That leaves little ole me. Funny-we have one of the best catcher's in the country just a few miles from our house. I don't know him personally but I do know he plays nationally (and for my son's "rival" baseball club ) May have to do some more checking around.

Until then--Wish me luck.

This brings back so many fun memories. Son is a rising senior (wow-thats weird to say that). Luckily now he has many good friends from his hs team to throw with. They long toss daily and in their off time between playing in 2 summer leagues can be found playing whiffle ball at all hours of the day in field across the street. I love that they can't get enough of bb even at his age.

BBfam- would definately rec. you contact the catcher in your area. You'd be surprised how much the older guys like working with the younger guys. Maybe call local hs coach to get some players names/phone #. The boys like to long toss daily so it's good to get your son started pre-hs.

Would also rec. lots of hitting off the T. We don't have a cage in our backyard but he's got a net and T and hits atleast 45 min/day (led our league in batting ave. so it must help).

Good luck!

Well, back in the day, this mom was also a catcher. So, when catcher #1 did a stint as a pitcher, I proudly squatted and felt I could do a good enough job helping his practice. Well, he started throwing 'em at me and I was scared, but hung in there until I missed one and it hit my ankle just above the middle bony part (just above the medial malleolus)and to this day (about three years later) I still have a dark spot on my leg and I can push there and still feel the pain. The bruise and swelling were there for a long time. Lucky for me, he doesn't practice with me anymore.!!!

quote:

to this day (about three years later) I still have a dark spot on my leg and I can push there and still feel the pain.

mo2c, you might want to have that looked at!

dad threw batting w/o a screen - son got stronger and stronger - one day, dad got hit just below the knee - on the meaty part on the side. Dropped his drawers on the spot, thinking he had a compound fracture it hurt so bad. Didn't go the the ER, but probably should have. (field was empty, btw)

quote:

I still have a dark spot on my leg and I can push there and still feel the pain.

Sounds like a small varicose vein. If they don't give them to ya when you're pregnant, they'll give 'em to ya playing catch! What's a mom to do!!!

I know how you all feel. When my son was 12, he played ss. My husband would hit him ground balls and I played first. At this time, my son did not have the full grasp of throwing a 4 seam fastball. He through a two seam bullet to me and that was the last time I played first. That whole year I felt for his first baseman.

Hi there. I have never posted in here. Love the background! I always played with my son because dad is a coach and works long hours. When he approached 16-17 and he needed me, I always used the L-screen to throw BP. By this age though, he usually had someone else - a friend or other coach -who would throw to him. I liked it though. Had a lot of fun.

L_L_Baseball ...

Welcome to the kinder, gentler, and more domesticated forum ...

I would have no problem throwing batting practice to my son (if I knew how to pitch) ... even without a screen ... because he has hardly had a bat in his hand since summer 01 and he is hardly able to make contact these days. That's what happens to some pitchers when their high school coaches take the bats out of their hands and they don't hit in college. (He has had 4 official at bats so far in AA ... relievers don't see much action at the plate ... and is batting .250 thank-you-very-much!!)

OMG, I'm loving this post!

I pride myself in being a girly-girl. When I was coaching, (volleyball, basketball) I always encouraged the girls to be yard-dogs on the court, but ladies everywhere else. I always had them wear dresses and curl their hair on game days to remember they were young ladies.

With that said, I did play softball (center, catcher, bad pitcher). I quit catching my oldest son around 11, also. He was as wild as I was. Now, his dad has always pitched to him, but when he's unavailable I throw bp. It takes twice as long, because I struggle finding the strike zone, but it's the most fun watching him CRUSH my pitching. My "stuff" is all off-speed, around the zone, so he definitely gets a good variety of everything but a fast ball. My youngest critiques my limitations with fervor! I wouldn't trade these days for anything! Even with all the comical responses I have to endure.

It's official. My kids think I am a complete nut. They really wanted me to throw BP. So I did. With a helmet on! 300 balls (call 911-I can't move). What we mom's don't do for our kids. Don't know what's going to happen when they're in HS.

BBfam -
When the speed got up there, we changed to a target that didn't say ouch!