"Distance Not an Issue"

[LEsoftballdad]

The concept of not practicing with a team is weird to me. I know it happens constantly and is even more noticeable with pitchers, but it doesn't mean it's a best practice. How often do they practice as a team when they get to college? I know my daughter's D3 school practiced five days per week, except when they had weekend games, in which case they'd practice four times per week.

Travel has it reversed from college. In travel, you practice one day a week and play five games on a weekend. In college, you practice five days a week and play 2-3 on a weekend.

 

[_MIA_]

The concept of not practicing with a team is weird to me. I know it happens constantly and is even more noticeable with pitchers, but it doesn't mean it's a best practice. How often do they practice as a team when they get to college? I know my daughter's D3 school practiced five days per week, except when they had weekend games, in which case they'd practice four times per week.

Travel has it reversed from college. In travel, you practice one day a week and play five games on a weekend. In college, you practice five days a week and play 2-3 on a weekend.

Like I said, all things equal, practicing more is better.

That said, if we want to make comparisons, how many times a week does your kid's HS team practice compared to her TB team...which team is better? It is the same thing as the OT, just a different scale.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Just played a team, D1VISION 16U National. They have 20 players from 6 or 7 states. Lot of talent but they are not what i would consider a polished team. No special pick off plays, no real bunt defence, no bunting, no game plan. A real team needs to practice, IMO.

 

[_MIA_]

Just played a team, D1VISION 16U National. They have 20 players from 6 or 7 states. Lot of talent but they are not what i would consider a polished team. No special pick off plays, no real bunt defence, no bunting, no game plan. A real team needs to practice, IMO.

They scored zero runs...what they need is hitting practice.

You play VA Unity Ross yet? How many states are their kids from?

Then again I never coached so I am not under the illusion that my brilliant practices and game strategy are the reason my team wins..

 

[Rolling Hard]

They scored zero runs...what they need is hitting practice.

You play VA Unity Ross yet? How many states are their kids from?

Then again I never coached so I am not under the illusion that my brilliant practices are the reason my team wins..

No, haven't play Unity. Seen them.
I talked to a dad from D1VISION and he told me the they scour the internet (Twitter, Instagram, etc. Looking for players based off post, stats and SIZE. (Average player was 5'10" and 150 lbs and that's a conservative estimation) they contact them and sell them the D1 dream. They practice once a year. There was over 25 colleges watching our game. Their SS is highly sought after but her throwing error in 1st inning with 2 outs lead to us score 2 runs in the first inning.
How's the weather out in Riverside?

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Like I said, all things equal, practicing more is better.

That said, if we want to make comparisons, how many times a week does your kid's HS team practice compared to her TB team...which team is better? It is the same thing as the OT, just a different scale.

Okay, that's an apples-to-donuts comparison. We have incompetent coaching at our high school, and we still have girls wearing pink helmets from little league.

That being said, if your local travel team practices several times a week with full participation, chances are they will get better as the season progresses. I think a travel team that doesn't practice will plateau as the season goes on, even if they are a National team.

I can tell you my daughter's performance has not improved this summer. She's had two pitching lessons since May because of injury and travel obligations, and finding time to throw a bullpen at home has been difficult, at best. Couple that with limited innings pitched, and it's not a good mix. She is always sharpest after the first three weeks of the school season since she has weekly lessons and at least two other bullpens each week during the winter. After the season starts, it's almost impossible to get to regular lessons and bullpens.

 

[_MIA_]

How's the weather out in Riverside?

Huh? I am in Norman (high of 97 today, 101 tomorrow). DD is 14U remember..we get to go to lovely IN next week.

 

[_MIA_]

I can tell you my daughter's performance has not improved this summer. She's had two pitching lessons since May because of injury and travel obligations, and finding time to throw a bullpen at home has been difficult, at best. Couple that with limited innings pitched, and it's not a good mix. She is always sharpest after the first three weeks of the school season since she has weekly lessons and at least two other bullpens each week during the winter. After the season starts, it's almost impossible to get to regular lessons and bullpens.

Right..what does that have to do with team practice? That is what we are talking about. The kid who lives 12 hours away and only goes to tournaments could be taking ground balls for an hour every day and taking 200 swings at home every day or pitching every day..You have team full of those kids and they are not plateauing.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Right..what does that have to do with team practice? That is what we are talking about. The kid who lives 12 hours away and only goes to tournaments could be taking ground balls for an hour every day and taking 200 swings at home every day or pitching every day..You have team full of those kids and they are not plateauing.

Absolutely nothing. I was venting...

I do think a National travel schedule makes it difficult to either practice as a team or get the individual work in at home, though.

 

[_MIA_]

Absolutely nothing. I was venting...

I do think a National travel schedule makes it difficult to either practice as a team or get the individual work in at home, though.

For National teams from the Northeast I agree that in June and July it is going to be hard to fit in a lot of practice.
Or, more accurately I guess, any teams that play a lot of tournaments that require 5-7 days of your time. We have had two of those this summer.