In tournament recovery methods

[redhack]

DD has some marathon tournaments comming up. She will be called on to give all she can. What do you do to assist in pre game day and between game recovery to help maximize pitching and prevent injuries? I know what her limits are and I know the coaches will lean on her. Nutrition, hydration, ice, massages? I know we could play as many as 5 or 6 or even 7 games in one day, and every pitcher will have to go to their limits. I want to prepare her and protect her so she can do her best as well as help the other pitchers to carry the load.

I have read a lot about running recover and prep with carb'ing up. But what about between games? If you only have 75 minute or 60 minute breaks, what do you do?

 

[Pitching Dad]

My DD (10u) pitches a minimum of 3 games a day on the weekends. Usually 5 or 6.
We workout 6-7 days a week and have been for over a year and she throws about 150-300 pitches a day. Now before I hear all the over use folks crucify me let me say her form is very smooth and she has no pain after working out. We not only work on snapping drills, leg driving drills, stamina and her pitching off the mound. But we do it in the afternoon heat here in Arkansas. During tournaments I make sure between games that she stays in the shade with minimal activity and have taught her about hydrating correctly. I tell all my girls that if your not going potty each hour then your not drinking enough. We also cut up fruit and keep it cold for the whole team. I believe a strong work ethic and training in the heat and proper hydration allows her to pitch effectively in multiple games.

 

[Atlantabell]

Screwball, my thoughts exactly. We are talking about a 10 U doing 300 pitches a day, that's 1800 a week, 7200 a month without tournaments. Take that times the years this girl will be playing softball. It has nothing to do with motion, you can't do the same repetitive motion that many times and not have wear and tear. But, save your breath because parents like this won't believe it till it happens.

 

[Pitching Dad]

I am also an ex pitcher, I pitched for an USAF travel team.
The question of how much is too much is not to be based on a certain # of pitches a week but on the overall training and capabilities of each individual, everyone is different. She hits me up most of the time to want to go and throw because she absolutely loves it. There where times when her form wasn't what it is now that she would mention pain in her arm and I would stop the workout. She know that rule, if she feels any pain at all then we stop. Our PC is a college pitcher and she said her mom worked her much harder at 10 than I work mine
And she is still going strong. Nothing wrong with a strong work ethic is there? I'm not pushing her, she does it cause she loves it and her wins are the fruit of all that labor.

 

[SoftSocDad]

I am also an ex pitcher, I pitched for an USAF travel team.
The question of how much is too much is not to be based on a certain # of pitches a week but on the overall training and capabilities of each individual, everyone is different. She hits me up most of the time to want to go and throw because she absolutely loves it. There where times when her form wasn't what it is now that she would mention pain in her arm and I would stop the workout. She know that rule, if she feels any pain at all then we stop. Our PC is a college pitcher and she said her mom worked her much harder at 10 than I work mine
And she is still going strong. Nothing wrong with a strong work ethic is there? I'm not pushing her, she does it cause she loves it and her wins are the fruit of all that labor.

I know that sounded great to you when you typed it, but what's clear to most of us that might not be clear to you is that you - the parent, in this case - put way too much emphasis on winning.

At 10u.

It's great that your daughter has a strong work ethic and that you are helping to foster that in her, but the numbers you listed are in the extreme range. She feels good now and that's great. But with that pace you've got her on, is her arm going to be in the same shape when she's 25? What about when she's 35 and maybe has kids of her own?

If your team is playing 5-6 games (or more?) a day, why not use some of those innings to develop more pitchers? My 10u DD's team usually has 3 games in Saturday's pool play and 4 pitchers see action.

 

[Cannonball]

First, get her out of the sun. A lot of people suggest air conditioning but I am not a fan. We create a cooling station in the shade where we take a cool towel and dd wraps it around her neck. We also take a tarp and set it up so that she can lay down in the shade of our cooling station Today will be 98 degrees here with a heat index of 106. We will have the cooling station set up today. Oh, we have water for her and aren't that much into Gatoraid or anything like that. DD likes to eat Gardettos (sp?) as a snack.

Note, a couple of years ago, some parents on the team made fun of us (in a nice way) and said we looked like "nomads." Then, we went to a national tournament and, as you all know, it seems like you never are able to leave due to game times. They joined in and before you knew it, we had a tent city set up. The kids loved it and so, we did that at every tournament after that.

Last note, our team has a set time before each game where players are expected to show up, put shoes on and then a set time to start warm ups. This ensured that all players were always there and on time.

 

[NVfishing]

We had a girl get to the point of collapse last week. She wasn't hydrating enough. I did the same thing with my DD as someone mentioned above. Drink water, more water, and more water. If they aren't using the bathroom then they aren't drinking enough. Catchers and pitchers have the worst of it.

 

[Hillhouse]

I realize I may not always do whats best for my body... but I will ice my arm in between starts. For example, if I pitch at 9am and again at 3pm... I'll ice in between. I figure I have to "warm up again" anyway. And whether it's actually helping me or not, I feel like it is. Personally, I believe in Icing. I know others do not. It's my belief that everytime we pitch we are moving things around and inflaming things, so it's as much about preventive medicine as anything. Ice and ibuprofen for my arm. And beer for the other ailments, but your wife may not approve of giving a 10 year old some beer. If that's the case, just send it to me.

Bill

 

[Sparky Guy]

And beer for the other ailments, but your wife may not approve of giving a 10 year old some beer. If that's the case, just send it to me.

Now you won't mind if it stops here first so I can sample it to make sure it's up to your standards would you???

 

[David Carter]

Biggest thing for 10U I see going on in a scenario like is being described is the development of other pitchers why at 9 and 10 would you not try and develop other pitchers. Is every game a that close that your ace is pitching 5 and 6 games so your 10U team can be victorious. Why not use some other pitchers in a few pool games?

As far as the heat keeping the players in the shade and hydrated is the name of the game, you would be surprised how many times even at 12U I catch the girls running around and goofing off when they just have a 1 hour break you would think they would be exhausted but hey to be 12 again...problem is 3 or 4 games later at 7 or 8 pm they ARE exhausted and wonder why.