The Most Hilarious Complaints We’ve Heard About Pitching

If you’ve been around softball long enough, you’ve probably heard some pretty funny complaints about pitching. Even though we can laugh about them now, these moments show us what players, parents and coaches really need to learn—both mentally and physically.

Here are some of the funniest things we’ve heard, and what they really mean—from the most experienced players to beginners just getting started.

“My mom forgot my binder.”

This one always makes us smile. It’s funny how they say it, like it’s their mom’s fault. But really, it’s the player’s job to bring their binder.

Eventually, some kids start saying, “I forgot it.” And when they do, great! Just bring it next time.

At Practice Pro, we ask players to bring their notes binder to every class. It’s how we keep track of goals, notes, and progress. This also applies to things like gloves, shoes, and other gear. When a player forgets something, it’s a good chance to teach personal responsibility. We also praise the kids who remember their things and help them learn tips—like keeping the binder in their softball bag or next to their water bottle or front door.

Every mistake is a learning moment. Even if your parents help you remember sometimes (thanks, parents!), it's still your job to bring what you need.

“I feel more comfortable doing it this way.”

Of course you do! That’s the way you’ve always done it—even if it’s not the right way. That’s how habits work.

But if your “comfortable” way of pitching leads to bad results, pain, or makes it hard to improve, then maybe it’s time to change. When you sign up for lessons or join a team, you're saying you want to learn. Learning new things isn’t always comfortable—but that’s how you grow. If you only stick with what’s easy, you won’t get better.

“The umpire made us lose the game!”

This one is a classic. People love to blame the umpire.

Did the umpire make a bad call? Maybe. But what about the missed ground balls, the wild throws, or the strikeouts earlier in the game?

We say we want youth sports to build resilience and character, yet the first thing some do is blame someone else for a bad outcome. The reality is that learning how to deal with “unfair” calls is part of the game. Sports should teach kids how to bounce back from things they can’t control.

“Why can’t she just throw strikes?”

Oh, how we wish it were that easy!

I remember when I was 9 years old, playing in a new developing league. Most of the pitchers were still doing “slingshot” pitching. My uncle had taught me how to do the windmill style after traveling all over to learn from real pitching coaches—before there was the internet!

But I was still walking a ton of batters. The games took forever. Expecting a 9-year-old to pitch perfectly is like asking a toddler to run a marathon without falling over.

“She’s throwing too hard—slow it down!”

Wait… isn’t that the goal - to throw hard?

We hear this one when a trained pitcher faces a team that hasn’t seen much speed before. Or, a girl keeps throwing a lot of balls and wild pitches.

This is actually a compliment. Pitchers should throw hard. It means they’ve been working hard and learning how to pitch the right way. Plus, if you’ve watched pitcher develop at all, you know throwing it slower doesn’t help the accuracy, strangely enough. They’re not out there to make it easy for the hitters—they’re there to develop as a pitcher and compete.

All of these complaints come from a place of wanting success without struggle. But pitching is all struggle! It’s supposed to be messy. Awkward. Hard. You’re supposed to walk a few too many in the beginning. You’re supposed to have days where nothing works. You’re supposed to learn how to face adversity head-on, feel disappointed, and then learn to deal with it and move on to the next game. It’s kind of funny that’s how life is, too.