How many tourneys to play?

[CoachCalvin]

My first travel team and I have parents asking to play more tourneys. My initial plan was one tourney every 4 weeks. Now I have parents wanting to play more. I don't want burnout. How often should a 14u play?

Thoughts?

 

[crystlemc]

Our 14u team is playing 10 tournaments this spring/summer. We generally play 2 on 1 off. This coming month we are three on.

 

[JAD]

What level TB? A-level ball we play at least every other weekend, and during qualifier/showcase season and we have played up to 4 weeks straight in the past. B-level I would suggest every 2-3 weeks.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

We are B level 14u and we just went through a stretch of 4 straight. We took off this weekend and I have girls texting me saying we should be playing ball.

 

[Lackawanna Lightning]

Im in the same boat, we are a class B 14u travel team..I did 4 straight and I took 3 weeks off for vacations etc. we play in a travel league every thurs..also..But I keep getting the same questions..i.e. can we find a tournament to play this weekend? These are the same people I have to hound constantly to make sure I got enough showing up for our booked tournaments!.. we have 4 more straight after our layoff and then plan to go every other into fall...for a total of 12 for our tuition year...

 

[murphdog]

We'll have played in 13 tournaments from early April until the end of July, plus 5 fall/winter tournaments. We're 12U class A

 

[GOINGDEEP]

In 14u A, we played every weekend from HS dismissal ( late May ) until August. August is deadly hot here, heat index stays 105-115+. Usually took off the 4th of July. Maybe a couple got rained out each year. Started back up in September, maybe every other weekend.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I vote for more tournaments at 14U. Once a month isn't enough.

 

[PA SB Dad]

I don't want burnout.

Player burnout or coaches burnout? At 14U, if they are playing TB, the girls will want to play more than once a month.

 

[CoachCalvin]

I was afraid of burnout for the girls and myself. We have played one tourn so far, 4 games on a sat and then one sunday morning. We went 1-4 in the tourney but it was a lot of fun and the girls learned a lot.

This is a 14u team at a very low level. All of the girls are local and eight of them play on the same JV team. After a JV game in early March, the coach asked if there was a parent that had ever coached ball before. Well, I coached 9 years of baseball from tee ball to 13-14 yr. old. My wife volunteered me and I agreed that I would coach. I want these girls to get better as not only did they get beat, they were beat badly during the JV year. You could see there was no basic foundation with these girls. What I mean is, knowing when to tag up on a fly ball, who covers what base, calling for the ball, etc. I could go on, but I think you get my point.

So, should the girls get the experience and play every weekend or should I practice with them between tourneys? I can't get upset at a girl that doesn't know how to do something because she was never taught to do so. I am not a fan of in game coaching, telling a girl to do this in the middle of a game doesn't work well.

Thanks for everyone's reply!