Advice on keeping 10U daughter focused after long delay

hot_rollerz · Apr 3, 2018

New to travel ball and my DD 10U team has had 4+ hour delays/breaks between games in our last two tournaments. They play their first game great, but when they have to wait so long for the next game, they all seem like they lose focus. We feed them healthy snacks, limit the concession junk and try to get them to rest and relax, but they are children and get bored and want to run around and play. Any suggestions for what we should be doing during that downtime?

Eric F · Apr 3, 2018

With that long a delay, expecting them to just sit around being mellow is unrealistic. Some down time for refueling is good, but they'll tend to do better staying at least partially energized.

Rambler34 · Apr 3, 2018

hot_rollerz said:
New to travel ball and my DD 10U team has had 4+ hour delays/breaks between games in our last two tournaments. They play their first game great, but when they have to wait so long for the next game, they all seem like they lose focus. We feed them healthy snacks, limit the concession junk and try to get them to rest and relax, but they are children and get bored and want to run around and play. Any suggestions for what we should be doing during that downtime?

They are 9 and 10 so let them play and have fun. Shut them down about an hour and a half out to rest and then warm up. If they aren't having fun they will be bored and it will carry over to the game.

Silver 2200 · Apr 3, 2018

They are 9-11 years old, they are going to lose focus. I am 38 years old and I still can stay focused. After I hit the button to post to this thread I will probably have no idea what I just typed, or why I responded.

FP26 · Apr 3, 2018

To be honest, I have trouble focusing after a long delay like that.... Our team tends to do a variety of things, from reading to playing Kan Jam. Depending where we are at, we may try to grab lunch as a team. Getting away from the field can be helpful if that is possible.

grcsftbll · Apr 3, 2018

In my experience, they do better if you don't try to make them settle down. We've been on both sorts of teams - the sit down and rest between games team, and the sure go play on the playground team. They really seem to LOSE energy from being made to sit still. It makes sense from the perspective of old people like us. We only have so much energy. The kids seem to almost replicate it at the 10U level, like it become self-feeding.

coach james · Apr 3, 2018

Take games that the whole team can play.
Here are a few ideas I've used over the years.
Frisbee golf... Use a regular old school frisbee and set up a few targets.
Games like Simon says or Bop it... Have a single elimination tourney!
Cornhole (beanbag toss)
Spike ball (it's like volleyball with a mini trampoline in the middle.
Hacky sack

Advice on keeping 10U daughter focused after long delay

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