DD will take a "break" starting after the last tournament; but she will still do pitching/hitting lessons, work on spins, go to gym, etc. As for hitting, because there is a LOT of muscle memory, she will probably hit off the tee 2-3x/week (in addition to lessons). Otherwise, it will definitely be downtime compared to what she has been doing. And I don't know what this team will do after the last tournament...but I imagine they will go on a long break with HS ball starting up in Jan/Feb. Maybe they will hold hitting practices 1x/week...that is usually the norm.
End of the year layoff from pitching AND hitting?
- Thread starter GoCaboNow
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- Jun 12, 2015
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I think we're being forced into a break. My dd's elbow started hurting at practice again last night. She was playing first during a drill, throwing to 3rd. Not a difficult throw for her. She was doing fine then suddenly the ball wasn't making it to 3rd and I could just tell looking at her throw that it wasn't good. I was about to say something to the coach to pull her out when she started crying (she's 9 y'all, and she's a crier 
). Same deal as she had whenever that was, not very long ago. When it happened before we just saw our chiro, did rest/ice/advil, waited til she'd been without pain for several days, eased back in pretty slowly. But clearly not slowly enough, we're kicking ourselves now. So, no softball for her this weekend (so rainy though, probably no softball for anyone), and we'll probably be taking the rest of the year off any pitching or throwing. I haven't told her yet. She's going to be so upset. Hopefully I can get her in with a pediatric ortho tomorrow. I'm so sad for her.
). Same deal as she had whenever that was, not very long ago. When it happened before we just saw our chiro, did rest/ice/advil, waited til she'd been without pain for several days, eased back in pretty slowly. But clearly not slowly enough, we're kicking ourselves now. So, no softball for her this weekend (so rainy though, probably no softball for anyone), and we'll probably be taking the rest of the year off any pitching or throwing. I haven't told her yet. She's going to be so upset. Hopefully I can get her in with a pediatric ortho tomorrow. I'm so sad for her. 
we're pretty much done for games now except for a tourney after thanksgiving, as for practice goes we really don't shut down still a couple times a week but definitely not as intense as during the regular season, last night hc,and pc did a video analysis both for pitching and hitting we set some goals for the off season and what DD and pc want to achieve. DD is 13 gonna be 14 in late Jan. so goal #1 is still working on the mechanics of the Rise and doing it correctly and trying to reach that 60mph mark on a consistent basis which will be a tuff one shes at that 54-57 mark right now. and im signing her up for a couple of power sessions this winter to strengthen her up hopefully we break it ha!10 yo DD has thrown well over 20,000 pitches in the last 12 months. The only pain she has ever experienced was the day after her first long toss workout.
She loves pitching in practice, games, lessons, but we will shut her down for six weeks starting the end of November.
Her team has offseason batting practice twice a week. Between machine, and various toss and tee work, she probably gets in 150-200 cuts per session? She enjoys the hitting and, especially, camaraderie of these sessions. What is everyone doing? Shutting both down? Just pitching?
- Dec 7, 2011
- 2,366
- 38
Every pitchers parent should search in this forum for the experience DD went through that I documented in pretty full detail. (I assume archives are still there)
Make an educated decision on downtime hearing all sides of the equation and don't get caught up in just the more visible "gotta pitch more" crowd rhetoric.
All we want as parents is to know all the information we can to make the best decisions for our children,....right? I am suggesting the average pitcher-parent does NOT know all the information......
You probably would be alarmed by the sheer numbers over the years that have asked me for info/advice having been thrust into the extremely challenging situation of stress fractures in the back. And I will strongly submit that orthopedic doctors (in a general) are not trained/qualified to make assessments/recommendations on pitchers health. Why - because they do not know the peculiar physics & repetitive stress coupled with the youthful body of a pitcher compared to spine conditions of the elderly or injured in accidents.
Make an educated decision on downtime hearing all sides of the equation and don't get caught up in just the more visible "gotta pitch more" crowd rhetoric.
All we want as parents is to know all the information we can to make the best decisions for our children,....right? I am suggesting the average pitcher-parent does NOT know all the information......
You probably would be alarmed by the sheer numbers over the years that have asked me for info/advice having been thrust into the extremely challenging situation of stress fractures in the back. And I will strongly submit that orthopedic doctors (in a general) are not trained/qualified to make assessments/recommendations on pitchers health. Why - because they do not know the peculiar physics & repetitive stress coupled with the youthful body of a pitcher compared to spine conditions of the elderly or injured in accidents.
- Jun 13, 2012
- 90
- 6
DD is a freshman and her HS softball is the last period of the day for the entire year and practices continue till 5:30 each night 5 days a week and this Coach just started 2 a days - twice a week we have to have her at school by 5:45am for morning practices as well, then they go to 2 a days 5 days a week in december and keep it going till the HS season is out. I will say her core and endurance are MUCH stronger. They lift 2 times a week and run LOTS EVERYDAY. This team is the top ranked 7A in the state (Arkansas). Pretty impressed with his practices. DD has gained 5 mph due to the core strengthening. Team should be pretty strong, 30 girls for JV and Varsity. Looking forward to up coming season!
- Feb 7, 2013
- 3,188
- 48
The first couple of years my DD pitched in rec league, we loved parents and players who completely shut it down for 2 months between seasons. In the meantime, DD worked on her pitching 3x a week. We used the off season to improve and get better. I see no ill effects from her continuing to workout in the off season. I will say as she has gotten older, bigger, stronger, and plays more softball year round in travel ball, I will shut her down for about 3 weeks, twice a year. So far, so good..
JJsqueeze
Dad, Husband....legend
I don't think this applies to rec. the season and game schedule isn't heavy in rec. I think only when you get to the travel level does the need arise to start pacing yourself and making sure overuse is kept in check and burnout is avoided. Or to use my farming analogy...the rec crop does not deplete the soil enough to need a rotation or a fallow period.
I would venture a guess that pretty much all of the folks playing TB loved the breaks in rec. because of the big gains that could be made at those young ages when there is so much to learn.
- Dec 27, 2014
- 311
- 18
Lol, "2 months". In the northwest most LL girls shut it down from the middle of June to middle or late March.
Don't get me wrong, it was winter workouts that set DD up for the season she had this year. She did pitching practice three days a week, November thru March, and she loved it. Went from a new, novice pitcher to a dominant one for 10u at nine yo. That was about 10,000 pitches. The greedy, psycho pitcher parent in me wants DD to have a chance to make those same gains, especially since she will do 12u full time next year. But, the parent part of me is curious what others have done, and especially with what Rubberbiscuit cautions.
