Our team experienced this twice this year. The first time a few players attended an amusement park. The next day the ones that attended the park were dead tired and also managed to get one of our players hurt and we lost our 8:00 A.M. game which dropped us into the "losers" bracket. Killed the tourney for us. The next time several girls stayed up late the night before our 8:00 A.M. game and.... You guessed it, we lost which sent us into the loser's bracket. I'm sure there are responsible players out there, but it is obvious that our team has few of them and a coach to go with.
Swimming on Game Day
- Thread starter lostbayou21
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- Jun 3, 2010
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Our team just finished up at the USFA World Series in Panama City Beach, Fl. I was one of the coaches for our team, and it was stressed to the parents to use some common sense. We played every day at 3:00 or later, we always meet 1:15 before every game. So I let my own, play in the pool for 20 minutes a day about 10:30 - 11:00 each day. It was no hard playing or nothing crazy. Every night she got in the pool for about 45 minutes to an hour. We went to the beach twice during the week for 1 hour, most of her time was laying on a towell getting a tan.
She understood why we were there and never said a word about not getting to do enough of anything fun. I cant complain about her performance, she had 1K in 8 games and played a descent SS and very good CFfor the week.
Someone used the statement this year that girls have to feel good to play good, and boys have to play good to feel good. Take that to heart and keep the little ladies happy away from the field ( use some common sense) and they will perform for you on the field.
She understood why we were there and never said a word about not getting to do enough of anything fun. I cant complain about her performance, she had 1K in 8 games and played a descent SS and very good CFfor the week.
Someone used the statement this year that girls have to feel good to play good, and boys have to play good to feel good. Take that to heart and keep the little ladies happy away from the field ( use some common sense) and they will perform for you on the field.
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Our rule is no swimming. My daughter knows the rule and schedules her fun around it choosing her summer program field trips accordingly. She is committed becoming a better player in everything she does so she almost never complains. My parents however are a different story. I had one set that constantly had their daughter swimming before practices and games. Poor kid was always so worn out she hated practice. Next year I will announce the rule at the beginning, for whatever good that will do. I feel like if I can't give my best performance at something I don't feel good about what I am doing. I think it is the same for kids. It is much funner for them when they do well, and they perform better when they are not worn out.
After a player made a trip to the ER last year in Midland, the ER doc told us..."get these girls in the water every day, right after the game if possible". Cools them down slowly rather than a cold shower.
There's plenty of coaches that won't let a player touch the pool until after they are eliminated in a tourney; VERY tough this time of the year, with ASA Nationals giving you 4 games in 4 days....might get an AM game on one day, and a PM game the day after.
There's plenty of coaches that won't let a player touch the pool until after they are eliminated in a tourney; VERY tough this time of the year, with ASA Nationals giving you 4 games in 4 days....might get an AM game on one day, and a PM game the day after.
- Nov 29, 2009
- 2,973
- 83
Had a girl I've been working with for the last year. The other day she shows up and before she even set her bag down I asked her how long was she swimming for today? Her mother turned and jumped all over her telling her "See... I told you... I told you he'd be able to tell... That's the last time before a lesson..." The kid just gave her the perfected "OOOHHkkkkaaAAYyyy Maaaahm..." whine.
I had planned on really working her hard that day but readjusted the lesson. In the end it worked out. I was able to have her learn how to reach down inside and learn how to summon up the will power to control her body and make it perform for a short time even when she was mentally fatigued and physically tired. I ended the lesson simulating pitching to the last hitter of the game needing to get an out to win after a multi-game long day on the fields.
So.. Absolutely no swimming before games. Afterwards I encourage it as a way for the team to cool down and forget about the day on the field. Especially if it's been a bad one and just be a group of girls hanging out and having fun.
I had planned on really working her hard that day but readjusted the lesson. In the end it worked out. I was able to have her learn how to reach down inside and learn how to summon up the will power to control her body and make it perform for a short time even when she was mentally fatigued and physically tired. I ended the lesson simulating pitching to the last hitter of the game needing to get an out to win after a multi-game long day on the fields.
So.. Absolutely no swimming before games. Afterwards I encourage it as a way for the team to cool down and forget about the day on the field. Especially if it's been a bad one and just be a group of girls hanging out and having fun.
Bama Slamer
Bucket Dad
No swimming before the game after the game is ok...sucks the life out of the girls. In my experience.
- Oct 27, 2009
- 83
- 0
My belief is this, and I have played a combination of baseball or softball for 45 years. A dip in the pool on a hot day no closer than two hours before warmups is fine as long as there is no strenuous activity. Standing around or on a float for the most part and horseplay should be kept to a minimum. This can actually help to bring down the core body temp and should be beneficial. After all I am also of the belief that girls need to feel good to play good, and this can only help. In addition no full meal within 3 hours of game time.
I had a funny experience with this over the weekend. One of my former players (a college senior now) texted me to tell me her boyfriend's team had a five hour break before playing in a slowpitch championship game and they all went swimming. She told them not to, but said "No one listens to the woman."
Haven't heard how they did yet, but I was glad to see the lesson I taught had been learned. No swimming before a game. Sucks the life out of you.
Haven't heard how they did yet, but I was glad to see the lesson I taught had been learned. No swimming before a game. Sucks the life out of you.
I always encouraged the girls to do a quick 8 min swim/laps together if we were at a hotel before a day of games. I think it's a good way for teens to wake up and get the blood flowing. Especially if we had an early game, being awake early was not our strong point. Us old timers may have a cup of coffee.
But no, an hour of swimming drains you.
But no, an hour of swimming drains you.
No way. No swimming, no sleep overs. It may differ from kid to kid, but mine would be worthless from experience.
