2 day tournaments - running out of gas on day 2

riseball said:

Specifically what does that mean? Is she running out of energy over time? Is she crashing? Does it vary depending on time of day? Weather? Long break between games? Back to back games? It may be beneficial to keep a journal of sleep patterns, game times, and food and drink intake and see if you notice a trend or common element. Also when is the last time she had a blood workup?

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DD had a similar problem last year. She takes meds for ADHD and has to have blood work every six months. Blood work came back with iron deficiency. The Dr put her on iron supplements and she was like a new kid after a couple weeks.
You may try her on a good multivitamin and see if that helps any..

riseball said:

Specifically what does that mean? Is she running out of energy over time? Is she crashing? Does it vary depending on time of day? Weather? Long break between games? Back to back games? It may be beneficial to keep a journal of sleep patterns, game times, and food and drink intake and see if you notice a trend or common element. Also when is the last time she had a blood workup?

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rb,
it's usually sunday morning games. i noticed she can become lethargic with her mechanics and speed. on saturdays, she can hit mid 50's easily. come sunday, she seems to slow down. i ask if she's hurting anywhere, she says no but will sometimes mutter "i'm tired".
ironically, on back-to-back games she seems to pick things up in the 2nd game.
hmmm.... that leads me to think that it might be the length of the break between games.

as you suggested, i'm going to keep a journal and see if there's a trend somewhere.
thanks!

ArkFastpitch said:

DD had a similar problem last year. She takes meds for ADHD and has to have blood work every six months. Blood work came back with iron deficiency. The Dr put her on iron supplements and she was like a new kid after a couple weeks.
You may try her on a good multivitamin and see if that helps any..

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I'm not sure when DD got her last checkup, but her yearly is coming up this year. I'll ask the doc.

Out in Left Field said:

Sports Nutrition | Eating Before Competition

A Guide to Eating for Sports

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thanks. will check this out

When my 9 year old DD pitched in states last year it was over 100 degrees. It was tough but we talked to older friends that had been through things like this before. Remember, that hydration is very important, but also remember that though most get plenty of carbs most don't get enough protein and natural sugars. We had a lot of the following:

Water
Pedialite instead of Gatorade - Has the electrolytes with less sugar. We also dilute Gatorade with water to cut the sugars. Sugar in excess is not good over the long haul.
Electrolytes - GNC has them in packets that you just add to water.
Peanut butter and celery plus other fruits i.e strawberries etc., meats like prosciutto also help

We ate and drank during games throughout the day. Each time she came in the dugout she had a bite or two. The key is to keep up with your bodies needs. You can't afford to fall behind when performing activities as it's too hard to catch up.

Are you taking care of her pitching shoulder? Ice after and between games (if time allows).

It is tough for kids her age, but she needs to start learning how to eat better. She needs protein.

You need to really look at her diet. Pay special attention to the sugar intake. What does she eat in the morning?

I love peanut butter, but it is basically peanuts and powdered sugar.

no peanut butter - DD's allergic. i agree on the sugar. we've bought the lower cal gatorade, but i have to check if that also means lower sugar. going to start to dilute it.
DD ices when she gets home, not during the tourny.

nicelag - thanks for input on protein. prosciutto.
tourny coming up tomorrow - i'll take notes and make some changes.

BTW, what's the best thing to do during long breaks between games? i know rest and sometimes they play VB which i don't agree to.

It could be a whole host of issues, from food intake, hydration, to iron deficiency. If you know you are good on the hydration and food issue then check for the iron. IMHO, it is probably lack of conditioning. This is not the popular answer because some here want to believe softball players don't need to run and condition. I disagree. Is pitching or playing her most strenuous activity? If it is, then she is basically pushing her body to her known limits on the first day and it is not fully recovered on the second day. Same reasoning you rest 2 days between lifts, runners don't run the day before race, etc. Conditioning leads to endurance, and with that endurance she will not be pushing herself to the max of her physical fitness on the first day and therefore the body will be more likely to recover to 100% on the start of the second. How will she be on 3 day tournaments that may have you playing 8 or 9 games?

Easton33 said:

IMHO, it is probably lack of conditioning. This is not the popular answer because some here want to believe softball players don't need to run and condition.

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This is most likely the best answer. Can she go out and run 5 miles in 40-45 minutes which I would consider an average time?

It's funny when I go to pitching lessons and watch 5 different pitchers pitching for an hour. Some can go the whole time with out breaks (rest or water). Some pitchers pitch for a set number of pitches and take a break. Some take breaks every 10 minutes or so.

I always wonder how some of those pitchers make it through the weekend.

These are often overlooked and I've seen it time and time again.

-Is she staying out of the sun between and after games on day one?
-Is she swimming after the games on day one?
-Is she having sleep overs before/during tournaments?
-Is she on social media late at night after you think she's asleep?