how old is she? if she is young try this...
start by tossing a tennis ball to her at about 10 feet apart and by going glove side only. when she gets comfortable with that move to the backhand side and then on to straight at her.

You're gonna have to have a conversation with your daughter. If she really wants to play ball she must overcome this fear. Please be completely objective and make sure that SHE is the one wanting to play. If so, I agree with Skip, there are wiffle balls, nerf balls any soft-type ball that will help her gain her confidence back. Be real with her though, (of course taking her age into consideration) there may be many times ahead that she gets a ball in the shins, even right in the glove that will hurt. If she really wants to play; start with the close pitch and catch game using the soft balls roll them, underhand them, overhand and pop ups working your way farther and farther with each ball. Then work up to the actual softball...each time you change balls start again at a close distance. She will realize that if she uses the fundamentals she's learned, she'll be terrific. If she balks, then move to the place she IS comfie with and see if she will lead you farther. If she doesn't want to work at it...get her to at least finish a set of each ball at a very close distance and forget about it for a bit of time...re-introduce when she shows interest.

Side note. If she doesn't want to play ball, don't make her. But I would at least go through the process of making sure she's over the fear...otherwise not only will she learn to use a setback as an excuse but she'll quit everytime she doesn't do something well. That wouldn't be a life lesson I'd look forward to having to deal with forever.

I know exactly how you feel. We had the same problem and solved it with a training ball called SafeToss. It is a safety training ball designed for that exact reason! If you go to the website www.safetoss.com it will tell you all about it.

tell her that it happens and everybody gets hit- its part of the game... take her to the field and throw her woffle balls and baseballs and tennis balls inside and outside of the plate when she gets comfortable, throw her some balls really close to her body and she starts to duck, tell her not to be afraid and to keep her eye on the ball,and that it won't hit her if she knows were if is and were it is going.

A lot of the advice given above is very good.

I suggest talking with her and listen to what she is feeling and concerned about.

My guess is that she is thinking about what she doesn't want to happen. Find that out. And see if she wants to overcome her fears.

Then, practicing thinking about what she wants will help. Having her become aware of when her thinking is going in a direction she doesn't want is the first step.

The first step is becoming aware of what you are thinking. The next step is changing the thinking. Doing this in practice especially with the drills above will be great.

Keep us posted!

Coach Bill Mooney

As the others said, definitely remove the fear factor. Start off with balls she know won't hurt. Start off with throws/grounders she knows she can handle so that she can practice her skills correctly since she's not afraid. As she gets more and more confident in her ability to stop any ball (or to effectively move if it takes a bad hop) you can start challenging her more, but it's important to go slow and it will take time.

Some good advice from Coach Bill too.

Wishing you the best,

Stacie

Get a ball that is soft and show her that its soft. And let her get use to that ball.
Hope it works

Great Advice Hannah! safetoss.com

there is only one thing you could do before every game and that is pray to god that you will not get hit and then you probably wont get hit the ball again and I fill bad for you when you got hit so bye and have a god blessed day.

You can buy her a face mask.

Buy a couple of soft balls. Like tennis balls, foam balls any soft ball she is comfortable with. Then from about 15ft toss the balls around her and let some hit her. It will let her know that if she thinks she is going to get hit with the balls tell her to make an attempt to get out of the way but if she gets hit she will be alright. Before every game tell her that everything will be fine and to enjoy the game and have FUN! Good Luck!

you need to tell it happens to every one and that it is part of the game i am kwon as the ball magent because every time i am in a game or not i get hit and i have been playing scince i was 4 and i am a 11 now and in travel softball still playing because i know it is part of the game

I went through a simaler experence but i dislocated my knee cap and i didnt like to play bases after that. what i did is i had mo coach stat after practice and help me to not be afraid of them. he though i was doing well so he played me at first. with her you should start out light with like a paper ball and just throw it at her and when she gets better at that just start to use harder object then go to a softball and bat and softly hit them to her so she can get used to them again.

Hi there,
did you ever try the Safe Toss Ball?
www.SafeToss.com

I get pegged all the time. When I was in little league I got hit and was always afraid after that. My parents and coaches just told me that if I get my glove up it wont hit me. Or when im up to bat I still get a little shakin up cuz pitchers just seem to like to hit me and pitch inside but I just have to know that its a possibility that I can get hit but its up to your daughter to make that desicion to not be scared any more. I believe there is no way to train her out of that. Just gotta make that desicion her self.

well.....my parent's kept working me and pushing me until i wasn't afraid no more so i would sugest that.

Hello,
Well get a ball (probaly SOFT) and toss it at her untill she isnt afraid anymore.

~Sincerly Megan

WHAT YOU CAN DO IS YOU CAN GET A TENIS BALL, A WIFFLE BALL,A BALL THAT YOUR DAUTER USES, AND THEN SEE IF SHE CAN CATCH A HARD BALL

tell her that it is going to happen its apart of the game but do what everyone is saying with the tennis ball

I broke my arm as a goalie and wen i go into goalie i get nervous but since i love the game so much! i just play for the fun..if ur athletic ur bound to have a scare or two that just happens to evryone!:)

IS SHE afraid of the balll?..caus that just means that is not her sport caus a good player is not afraid of da ball!

My sister had the same prob. You can say like I'll give you a present if you catch so many balls(I mean you pick the a mount)then get a tennis ball you roll it on the ground so she can get used to a ball coming her way.then bounce it to her.then go on until shes back to the way she was before the incident.

tell your daughter u know its not gonna hit u and on and on and on then PRETEND throwing the ball at her when she KNOWS that it will not hit her she migght not duck again!!

I think its just something she will have to get over herself. All you can do is keep working with her.

Put a mask on her and throw wiffle balls at her mask (not my idea they use it in UMP school)

Place a bat vehind her foot when she's batting, it will help her to stay in the batters box

tell her to move out of the way and call time to the ump otherwise he will call a stike.

let her get comfortable with it let a ball hit her lightly without trying to hit her hard and let her know that there is nothing to be afraid of just concentrate on hitting or catching the ball.

try using eggs
tell her if she catches an egg she gets a nickel
keep advancing on objects like Nerf balls, tennis balls etc.

you realy cant. girls sometimes tend to be afraid of the ball after they have been hit.but this might help have her pretend that there is nohing coming

Whiffle ball

nerf

tell her it will hert 4 a second then tell her to have confudence

wear a face mask or practice with with squishy balls and eventually move to a hard ball :)