How much is too much softball in one day?

[kgertie]

New team and first tournament of the season. Games roughly at 10:00, 12:20, 2:40, hour games. Full warmups hour and a half before first game and a full warmup an hour and ten minutes before second and third games so about (2) breaks of about 10 minutes down time for eating, etc...

So for the day warmups are longer than the actual games and the team played straight softball from 8:30 to around 4:00 with the two short 10 minute breaks. Players are not allowed to sit during games.

Second day pretty much the same. End of the tournament DD's elbow is tender and she is exhausted (she swims on her own every morning so she is in good shape).

Does anyone have any input whether this seems like too much throwing/hitting in a day? I have never seen a team FULL warmups before every game.

Does this much warmup help or hurt the quality of output in the games? Can you do too much hitting and/or throwing before a game?

 

[jinjet95]

The warmups seem too long for the amount of time between games. We usually do 1.25 hour prior to 1st game of day and .5 hour each additional game. If there are 4 or 5 hours between games, then maybe an hour.

 

[InsidePitch]

What age? It sounds like too much to me, especially in the heat of the summer. What's with the no sitting. That's why they put a bench in the dugout. What happens if a kid needs to use the facility, they aren't always right there at the field and concession stands don't have an express player line. Sounds like you guys will have lots of fun.

 

[maksoftball]

That sounds too excessive for warm ups. They should already be warm just from playing the games. LIke the PP, we warm up about an hour or more prior to first game, and for subsequent games, they warm up 30 minutes prior...if it's a long break, coach might increase warm up time.

 

[kgertie]

18U. Our experience has always been warmups about 1/2 an hour with a one game break in between DD games. If there is a longer break between games I understand a longer warmup.

I was just shocked. I am sure I could not stand my entire work day with a couple 10 minute breaks and it is concerning to me as a parent. Her elbow is sore now. I dont want to have DD with ongoing elbow issues because of too much throwing/hitting.

How much ball is too much ball in one day????? Is this any different than other tournaments that have 4 games in one day?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Go with your instincts and protect your DD. It took me three kids, but I finally learned to speak up. "I am sorry, but my DD can't physically do this."

Softball should not hurt. Now, she needs to see the ortho doc about the elbow. I would ice it and shut her down, until then.

Sometimes, more isn't better. No sitting? I suspect this is a first year coach. Good luck.

 

[sluggers]

Does the coach bring 10 lb dumbells to the games so that the girls can do curls while they are in the bathroom?

The coach is insane. Are the pitchers warming up as well?

Does this much warmup help or hurt the quality of output in the games?

For the first game, it probably helped the team. It probably hurt the team by the third game.

Between games, the girls need to throw to limber up, maybe jog a little, and do some light hitting. Part of the joy of team sports is hanging out between games and telling stories.

At 18U, the girls know what to do and how much they need to do to get ready for a game. Between games, a coach doesn't have to do much. Most of the time, she/he doesn't have to say anything...the kids just get up and do it.

Can you do too much hitting and/or throwing before a game?

Yes. Too much of any physical activity results in muscle fatigue. Come on, this isn't exactly nuclear physics. That is why most games of any sport last less than two hours.

Is this another coach who believes that the laws of nature don't apply to softball? What a maroon.

 

[kgertie]

Amy, this is actually a very well respected club organization that has been around a long time. All team members including pitchers and catchers do the full warmup drills and it appears that he runs p/c through first so they can then warm up pitching.

My daughter thought she took more cuts in those warmups over the course of 2 days than she did the entire high school season last year.

Flip of it: they are a good organization and have very good results.

Again, I just was a little speechless. We joked the entire evening after the first day: about every 10 minutes I would tell her it was time to go warm up.

My daughter is a very hard worker and loves the game. Physically though I dont know how she will be able to do this.

Not trying to come across as a whiner; just dont want to have her hurt after every tournament.

 

[quincy]

I have seen Teams practice before a single game, never before a tourney day. 1 ½ is too long before the 1st game in a tourney to warm-up and it quickly goes hill from there.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Compare it to what the best D1 programs in the country do. Generally, it is 1 hour prior to the first game and then, what others have described above. Your DD is already hurt. I would be interested to know how many players they run through this program annually? Is there a high turn over rate? It doesn't sound like they have your DD's best interest in mind. Run.