it sounds like she just wants to be 10 and enjoy being 10.
10YR Old Ready To Shut-it Down
- Thread starter tbennett
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- Jun 12, 2015
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Who cares if she's off her game? She's a kid. If she learns to hate it, she'll quit as soon as her will gets stronger than your ability to overrule her, and that will affect her game a lot more. I believe that you are overdoing it. I don't think there is one right amount of practice for everyone, but it's obviously too much for her. I think it would be too much for most kids that age.
My DD is 9 (almost 10) and has been pitching in games almost a year (in lessons for longer). She loves it, loves softball. Softball is her favorite thing in the world and pitching is her favorite part of the game. I'm about 97% sure if I forced her to practice 4-5 days a week and never took a break longer than a week, she would begin to hate it too. We practice 3-4 days a week including lessons (she goes once a week during off season, every other week during the spring when it's crazy). If I suggest we go practice and she really doesn't want to, we skip it. Some days I can tell she'd just rather do something else, and once we get out there she'll have fun. Those days, I push. But the days she truly is not interested, I don't make her do it. After our world series in July we are very loosy-goosy about practicing. Over the past month we've had lessons once a week and probably practiced one more time per week on average. We're taking a breather before fall tournaments start up. When they end, we'll be done til New Years. We don't do any formal softball practice at all in December (outside of a few team batting practices). Usually, she plays rec basketball through the county. This has evolved from last year, when we were forced to take most of December off due to elbow tendonitis. I was so afraid she'd "fall behind" (behind whom? whatever). But she came back better for having had the break. It went so well that now it's our policy.
I can understand where you're coming from. I believe that even without my mom goggles, my kiddo is pretty talented. She's very athletic and a natural pitcher. It's very tempting to want to push, push, push. It's because we love them and we want them to reach their potential when we see they're good at something. But we still have to let them be kids. They need breaks and they need to not feel like this sport they're supposed to love is a big chore. Try to make practicing more fun, and follow her lead on the frequency. Let her know that her team is counting on her, but that you're OK with fewer practices between tournaments and that once the final fall tourney happens, she can take a complete break from softball. You may find that when things start back up in the spring, she'll be ready to play.
So there's my input for whatever it's worth...
My DD is 9 (almost 10) and has been pitching in games almost a year (in lessons for longer). She loves it, loves softball. Softball is her favorite thing in the world and pitching is her favorite part of the game. I'm about 97% sure if I forced her to practice 4-5 days a week and never took a break longer than a week, she would begin to hate it too. We practice 3-4 days a week including lessons (she goes once a week during off season, every other week during the spring when it's crazy). If I suggest we go practice and she really doesn't want to, we skip it. Some days I can tell she'd just rather do something else, and once we get out there she'll have fun. Those days, I push. But the days she truly is not interested, I don't make her do it. After our world series in July we are very loosy-goosy about practicing. Over the past month we've had lessons once a week and probably practiced one more time per week on average. We're taking a breather before fall tournaments start up. When they end, we'll be done til New Years. We don't do any formal softball practice at all in December (outside of a few team batting practices). Usually, she plays rec basketball through the county. This has evolved from last year, when we were forced to take most of December off due to elbow tendonitis. I was so afraid she'd "fall behind" (behind whom? whatever). But she came back better for having had the break. It went so well that now it's our policy.
I can understand where you're coming from. I believe that even without my mom goggles, my kiddo is pretty talented. She's very athletic and a natural pitcher. It's very tempting to want to push, push, push. It's because we love them and we want them to reach their potential when we see they're good at something. But we still have to let them be kids. They need breaks and they need to not feel like this sport they're supposed to love is a big chore. Try to make practicing more fun, and follow her lead on the frequency. Let her know that her team is counting on her, but that you're OK with fewer practices between tournaments and that once the final fall tourney happens, she can take a complete break from softball. You may find that when things start back up in the spring, she'll be ready to play.
So there's my input for whatever it's worth...
Holy cow...you've got it bad.
Repeat after me: "No one cares about 10U softball. No one cares about 10U softball."
GRCSFTBL said:
100% true.
In order to be truly "good" at softball (or basketball or soccer or math or physics), you have to love doing it. Why? Because it takes a tremendous amount of boring, repetitious hard work to become good. Only people who love the sport will invest that kind of time in the game.
So, a parent has to nuture a "love for the game". When a kid needs a break, she needs a break. Pushing a kid at 10YOA will push the kid farther away from softball.
And, by the way, aren't you getting a little too wrapped up in 10U softball?
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Maybe she just doesn't want to pitch anymore.
Does she enjoy playing other positions?
Does she enjoy playing other positions?
I appreciate all the good post. some of the post are off subject. I am not wrapped up in 10U softball, well not anymore than anyone else on here. My point is she signed up to pitch for this team and now all of a sudden does not want to. I do not want to force her and take the fun away. I want her to fulfill her commitment and also enjoy doing so. Again thank you to all of the posts that understood the concern and provided great information.
Undoubtedly you care about 10U softball or you would not have opened a post with 10yr Old as the title. Anyhow the folks with some brain function understood what I was asking and provided sound feedback.
Now repeat after me, "Grow Up", "Grow Up"!!
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- Jun 12, 2015
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- 83
It really is easy to get too caught up though; probably about 85% of 10U travel ball parents are "too caught up." 
(lest you think I'm being insulting, I am frequently guilty myself) I think being aware of that helps keep it from happening. It's hard not to take comments personally sometimes but I can tell you that the input I get here from those with older daughters who play has been probably the most valuable thing I've gotten from DFP. It's kind of like teenagers. They think you don't understand but you do, because you've been their age before. But they've never been yours. That's what I think about when I get input from parents and coaches with older girls. They've had a 10U player before; I've never had a 14U or 16U player. They have a perspective I can't have yet. So I try to step back and really listen to what they have to say.
(lest you think I'm being insulting, I am frequently guilty myself) I think being aware of that helps keep it from happening. It's hard not to take comments personally sometimes but I can tell you that the input I get here from those with older daughters who play has been probably the most valuable thing I've gotten from DFP. It's kind of like teenagers. They think you don't understand but you do, because you've been their age before. But they've never been yours. That's what I think about when I get input from parents and coaches with older girls. They've had a 10U player before; I've never had a 14U or 16U player. They have a perspective I can't have yet. So I try to step back and really listen to what they have to say.
Every time I hear/read something like this, it pisses me off. Every person involved with 10U softball - players, coaches, parents - care a hell of a lot about 10U softball. How much does 10U mean in the big picture of a player who plays all the way through college? Maybe not much. Or, maybe a lot. For my DD, her path in the game changed from rec to TB in 10U, and thus started down the (intended) road towards playing college ball. Same is true for a lot of players I know. What my DD's 8U all-star team mattered, too. It mattered to her, her teammates, and every family involved.
That said, being that my DD is only a 12U player, maybe I'm too naive to know what I'm talking about.
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Sluggers was been around the block. It wasn't intended to be derogatory, even though it could easily be taken that way. My kiddo just finished with 10U and when he has mentioned that before I used it to help realize that it's a long road so slow down a little and let my kid grow into loving the game. It's helped with keeping my enthusiasm in check, reducing practices but yet I still have a priceless picture of her grinning ear to ear after pitching in a game at PGF Nationals this year.
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- Mar 28, 2016
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I'm not big on the bolded part. I liked the rest of your post.
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