Are we asking too much at a young age?

[KPower]

We have practices 2x/week for 2 hrs. Catchers/pitchers can come 45 minutes early to work together if they so choose. During regular practices catchers and pitchers rarely play those positions for long. Most team practice time consists of fielding, baserunning, hitting, etc. Pitchers and catchers are expected to work outside of regular team practice. Most girls also see a hitting instructer once a week.

 

[GiasDad]

My daughter is 10 but turns 11 July 28th. She is a small 10 standing at only 4'4". This is her first year playing 12u and her fourth total year total. This year she has been injured with bone bruises and pulled ligaments. I am almost feeling like I should have left her in 10u but we tried out and were not happy with the 10u teams she made.

Am I asking too much for her little body? She is solid muscle from the conditioning her coach makes them do but she plays in a very competitive league and often is catching 4-8 games a weekend, plus three-three hour practices a week.

She loves the game and is upset that she has to sit put another week. She was out for 10 days with an elbow sprai, well kindof. She switched hands for catching so she could still practice and just not bat. Now she is out as she dove to catch a wild pitch and slammed her knee into the backstop, breaking her leg protectors. Doctor said no walking until about Wednesday, then we will reevaluate.

This year has been a crazy year for injuries and I have noticed a lot of pill popping and braces, crutches, and casts at games all season.

So are we asking too much of the younger generation? It seems like 10 and 12 year old girls are being expected to play at a much higher level than what they were two years ago.

This schedule seems so insane I do not even believe it is real. Like someone posted this as an attempt to be funny. Your 10 year old made a 12U team and is catching 4-8 games a weekend and also has three (3) three (3) hour practices a week? When does she do homework? This is certifiably insane. I am sorry, just insane. My daughter plays on a very competitive 14U A ball team and they practice Wednesday nights for 2 hours and on Sundays when they are not playing tournaments until school is out. They have played four tournaments this spring and won 3 of them and I am not talking about NSA crap. Think their practice schedule is just fine. Once school is out, they probably add a practice.

 

[Terror Coach]

I have a niece that caught every game, every weekend. Her dad would be more then upset if her coach sat her. Her freshman year the highschool coach had her catch at every practice. She just finished her junior year. She played 3rd all year because of knee issues. Growing up I played catcher. We didn't have travel ball but I was able to catch for my age group and the age group above me. 4 nights a week and 2 games on Saturdays I was catching. By the time I made it to highschool my knees hurt so bad I never caught. I did love every minute of it. I wish I could of caught in highschool, but I'm not sure I would change a thing.

We practice 2 times a week. Practices usually last 2 1/2 hours. We go hard but try to make sure the girls have fun. Most nights the girls don't want to stop practicing. I don't know how anyone can only practice 90 minutes. Way to much to cover. We do pitch during one practice a week. I have 5 pitchers and 5 catchers. It is fun to watch them compete during practice. Now that we are playing almost every weekend we don't practice on the weekends we have off. We will also skip one night a week if off that weekend. We have made the championship game in every tournament this spring. The wear and tear adds up. Plus the parents love having one weekend a month with no softball.

 

[Proudmumof2]

She does homework between school and practice. At 10, she doesn't generally have much homework. She did correct me on the length of their practices, she said they range from 2-3 hours as she generally stays and is the last on the field. She told me it just seems longer because I sit on the bleachers and work while she plays. We are going to limit her time behind the plate once she is ready to play again as it is too much for her. She will never admit it but I can see the toll it has taken on her little body. It will be about 4 weeks before she is behind the plate but the sports therapist we met with said she will be stronger when she returns. He has stretches and exercises for her to do to help build her leg back up.

She wants to be the best she can be so this is really hard on her but I think she understands more now than she did last weekend. They do not play every weekend but they do play 2-3 tournaments a month.

 

[grcsftbll]

My DD would pitch every game if they'd let her. Sometimes we have to step in and draw the line when they're that into it. That dedication will take her far, I'm sure!

 

[riseball]

She does homework between school and practice. At 10, she doesn't generally have much homework. She did correct me on the length of their practices, she said they range from 2-3 hours as she generally stays and is the last on the field. She told me it just seems longer because I sit on the bleachers and work while she plays. We are going to limit her time behind the plate once she is ready to play again as it is too much for her. She will never admit it but I can see the toll it has taken on her little body. It will be about 4 weeks before she is behind the plate but the sports therapist we met with said she will be stronger when she returns. He has stretches and exercises for her to do to help build her leg back up.

She wants to be the best she can be so this is really hard on her but I think she understands more now than she did last weekend. They do not play every weekend but they do play 2-3 tournaments a month.

Also understand that catching at a high level is also mentally exhausting. Recently my 2018 catcher insisted on catching back to back games. Although physically it was not an issue, she was pretty much worthless by the end of the 2nd game. Passed balls, missed opportunities, etc. I knew it would happen but she needed to experience it first hand. Now she knows better and realizes that the mind will give out well before the body.