How much is too much?

quincy said:

Sounds too much for DD but some kids eat that up, can we play or practice all 30 days?

(I refuse to give reason DD not going to practice or game, just let coach know as soon as possible she will not be there)

Click to expand...

My daughter can play or practice everyday, she does not understand, or believe, that it might not be safe for her.

I do give a reason to my DD for not going. I have a painful disability. Standing at these games or practices adds to my pain. I cannot sit at the field, I can only sit on a custom chair that I cannot bring to a field. When her coach scheduled 7 days in a row of practices, scrimmages, along with the already scheduled league games, I told her I would take her to every league game, but I will not promise anything else.

I had to skip three days in a row, two practices and a scrimmage. The coach saw on teamsnap she was going to miss three days in a row, he approached me asked if we were going on vacation. He was pretending he was joking but he was not.

Strike2 said:

If the team has played several weekends in a row and people are getting tired, then cancel that next event.

Click to expand...

That makes sense, but this coach is so gung-ho, I doubt he would cancel anything. Especially considering he scheduled a scrimmage in the middle of summer league play.

When it quits being fun, the girls quit.

Amy in AZ. said:

When it quits being fun, the girls quit.

Click to expand...

Yes. My kid loves softball, it's her favorite thing in the world. But they need breaks, physically and mentally. Mine's chomping at the bit to start practicing again now. The breaks make them hungry for it IMO.

Caution :

Other than the physical aspects this amount of ball may be fine as long as she stays gung-ho about the sport. Where you may encounter some push back or outright burn out is when she reaches high school age. When friends, both girl and boy, enter the picture you are dealing whole other dynamic. School proms, hanging out and all the other fun
things available become a factor. Burn out at 16 or 17 years old can be devastating for an already verbal committed young lady. Some coaches just don't get it.

Amy in AZ. said:

When it quits being fun, the girls quit.

Click to expand...

True, but it seems to me the coach should pace frequency of the games and practices. If the girls set the schedule they might want to play and practice everyday, which could easily lead to early burnout. Setting a better pace for the schedule could help prevent that.

Bob516 said:

DD2 plays on a Williamsport level team. For the month of July her coach scheduled 22 days of tournaments, league games, scrimmages, and practices. Is something like this common, or did he over do it?

Click to expand...

Sounds reasonable for a 14U or 16U team that has players who want to be recruited, a tad excessive for 12U, and overkill for 10U. 18U players would just show up for half of it...

It sounds like a lot for 12U. It might be too much for some girls, and just right for others. I know my DD would play every day if she could. She has yet to get burnt out on softball, but I know after a few straight weekends of tournaments some of her teammates do. That being said, DD's middle school team is doing something softball related 24 days this month. If it was her travel team & I had to haul her around 22 days a month, I think I would be the one that gets burnt out. I just looked back at our July schedule, and on a decent B level 14U we had something going with the team on 13 days.

I know last year we wound up playing 7 straight weekends with normal practice. After the 7th weekend the girls all wanted to play
the next week. Parents on the other hand were done.