NATA Statement

[Rick M]

Some random thoughts from my odd perspective ...

1) @Rick M ... You include “3 hours of warming up” but ... Is it really? Is any kid actually stretching and being active for that full hour before the game? No ... in all reality (particularly with tournaments) that warm up is mental preparation (see #3 below). So your daughter probably is right at the guideline.

Actually, DD's team warmups are pretty active. I added those three hours after I had written the whole post, realizing that I had forgotten an important part. There are usually three hitting stations, a coach alternating fly balls and grounders, and two pitchers and catchers warming. That's after 20 minutes or so of running, stretching, and playing catch.

As others have pointed out, it's probably not fair to compare a sport like softball with something like soccer. In soccer, a kid may be moving almost nonstop for 90 minutes. If you're not a pitcher or catcher, you may get five or six balls hit your way, and three at-bats. I would honestly say that the girls on DD's team get more physical activity preparing to play a game then they do during the game itself. Is that unusual?

 

[marriard]

So I read through the reports and references and there are two major obvious issues;

1) There is very little actual data or studies to support that specialization increases injuries; just an increase of overuse injuries.

This is to be expected. If you use a particular joint or muscle group a lot, there is a higher likely hood something bad may happen. And if you play a lot of sports - which you will as a specialized athlete you increase your chance of injury in an area you use all the time. That makes a lot of sense. Yes if you are a baseball pitcher you are more likely to see an overuse injury to your shoulder versus someone who isn't. Well yeah... You don't say.

2) They don't address whether specialization works or not, or how to compete with specialized athletes.

This matters more in some sports over others - especially skilled sports which require a high level of specialized skills to compete in. There is obvious risk/rewards and if specialization in a sport works and the increased risk is manageable then the decision isn't multiple sports but which sports it matters in and works across and how much DO I need to specialize and still be competitive at the level of desired play. Is there a point where you can spend 6 months doing one sport and 6 months doing another and still compete against a specialized athlete in a certain sport or sports?

Just saying 'stop doing it' isn't useful.

There is a lot more studying and data needed for this to move forward.

 

[SonicMojo]

This whole thing is meaningless without any data to back it up.

 

[DrRiello]

DD is 15 and here was her schedule from last week:
Monday - Crossfit, 1 Hour
Tuesday - School Ball Workout, 1 Hour and Cage Time, 1 Hour
Wednesday - Hitting and Fielding Lessons - 1.5 Hours
Thursday - School Ball Workout, 1 Hour, Cage Time, 1 Hour
Friday - Crossfit, 1 Hour
Saturday - 4 Pool Games, 6.5 Hours
Sunday - 3 Bracket Games, 4.5 Hours

What we struggle with is the two full days off. It's virtually impossible in season.

Once fall ball ends, I will try to get her on a schedule that has one full day off per week and limit the hitting to 3-4 times per week.

You can do easy days hard days. Or medium then hard depending. For example Friday could be an easy day/recovery day or medium day since she is pitching the weekend. Go hard early in the week and Taylor down before weekend. My dd doesn’t get days off usually in season but I attempt to peak her out before the weekend so sh come in fresh and ready to flame throw.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DrRiello]

You can do easy days hard days. Or medium then hard depending. For example Friday could be an easy day/recovery day or medium day since she is pitching the weekend. Go hard early in the week and Taylor down before weekend. My dd doesn’t get days off usually in season but I attempt to peak her out before the weekend so sh come in fresh and ready to flame throw.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ps I do give her time off between seasons, on free weekends etc. it’s valuable. Mentally and physically.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bmakj]

DDs current week looks like

Mon - 90 min swim practice (swim is Oct - Mar)
Tues - 90 min swim practice
Wed - 100 min softball practice
Thurs - 120 min soccer practice (soccer ends in 3 weeks,, she is pretty much done with soccer, basically helping out a team of girls/parent coach we know as they needed a GK)
Fri - either 90 min swim practice or 100 min softball practice, unless there is softball on Sat, then nothing.
Sat - one soccer game or pool play (soccer ends in three weeks)
Sun - bracket play (or pool and bracket if one day) or off.

her soccer is much less intense from an exertion standpoint than most players, she is strictly a GK, but she does do some field training at practice. We know it is a little intense right now, but will fade get reasonable once soccer ends.

Winter will be 4 nights of swim, one night of softball, WE off except for swim meets (which are actually not all that physically intense, 4 hour meet for her to be in pool 5 min max plus warmups). or we might do a weeknight off and a 2 hour swim workout on SAT when no meets.

late June thru end Jul, she swims 4 mornings a week, plus softball schedule similar to above.