Player Weight !

[softball_mom#7]

This shouldn't be about a number on a scale; it should be about what is a healthy weight for the individual. Only a trained medical professional combined with a nutritionist can decide that. Just because someone physically appears to be heathly and fit because they are skinny does not mean they are. I am here to tell you that I am not over weight. But am I in shape? No way.

These girls are athletes. Does every family see their daughter as an athlete and feed their bodies as such? No. Maybe they were never athletic and don't understand what it takes to perform at the level their daughter wants too. Lead by example. Children learn far more by actions than by words. Nothing worse than the "do as I say but not as I do mentality". I don't think some speech needs to be given on weight and "this is why I am working you hard". It needs to be about getting stronger to help prevent injury, to improve performance, having endurance to play 4 games in a day... Not about some magic number on a scale.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

For HC's it should be about performance. Somebody's weight WILL be a factor in their performance to some degree but that varies greatly from individual to individual. Ya just don't need to discuss weight. What next, you are going to judge somebody on what brand of bat they use? NO.

 

[SCDad]

For HC's it should be about performance. Somebody's weight WILL be a factor in their performance to some degree but that varies greatly from individual to individual. Ya just don't need to discuss weight. What next, you are going to judge somebody on what brand of bat they use? NO.

Yeah, I have coaches say my DD needs a better bat. Try this one. Or the size of the bat is not right.

In fact I have had just about EVERY aspect of my DD's play discussed in some fashion. Directly to her, the better. No need for folks to get defensive about it.

Sure, I understand the nutrition aspect. And playing weight may be 5 or some pounds heavier than say a cheerleader, I get that. We are not speaking about these kids.

I can go to a 12U tournament in any part of the country and point out probably 1/3 of the players and predict they will not be left standing on the field at 18 years old. And have a high degree of accuracy. Without even seeing them hit, catch or throw a softball.

And the parents of many will go on and on about how this one does not hustle. This one has a bad attitude. This one needs a better glove. Subjects reaching the depths of a players soul. But this subject ... nothing.

Large 12U players get enormous as they get older. I have seen above average hitters at 12U, power hitters, who are 20 pounds overweight. It does not seem to bother their mechanics then. But when they turn 16U, they are 50 pounds overweight, and have no chance getting around on faster pitching. Girls who had 20 HR's in 12U and 14U all of a sudden cannot even hit a fastball anymore.

Hey, this is a softball message board. Just felt it would be fun to broach the elephant in the room, and on the ballfield in every part of the US today.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Should a coach step in and say "you are the best player, I love you and am doing everything I can to make you better. The biggest thing you have to work on is losing weight.''

No, you should not say that, IMO. Weight and body image are such complex issues. Softball coaches are not trained in this, and they can do more harm than good. I feel very confident that experts on this subject - pediatricians, dieticians, child psychologists, psychotherapists, eating disorder specalists, etc., - would advise against coaches having these kinds of conversations with children. It's not the coach's place, IMO. And a lot of parents would be livid if a travel ball coach told their daughter, ''The biggest thing you have to work on is losing weight.''

 

[CoogansBluff]

that was not my point. My point is parent are often blind to the problem. There are no teenage girls who at 5'5" and 180 who are not at least 30 pounds overweight

Sorry, I did misunderstand. And I agree that parents may see things differently than coaches on the matter. I just think it's like religion. It's the business of the family and not the softball coach.

 

[fastpitch5]

Not the coach's place to lecture on weight management. If you can move left and right, forward and backward, efficiently, the player has met the requirements. If she can't make the cut b/c of her weight, that's a personal thing she needs to work through.

My DD is prob 10 pounds overweight and is not fast. So we work A LOT on the first move and other aspects of the game (proper mechanics, etc). If/when she thins out, she will be that much better. But right now, shes making her team...

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Eventually, if you can't get the job done, anymore - someone will take your spot. The handful of pros that are mentioned here, always were the best in the nation and world, at their position.

But, as a travel coach, we can't solve everyone's problems. We can only take the best girl at the spot we need her at. My niece was a great 3rd baseman at a major softball CC. Now, her own kids (my nieces and nephews) are obese. My nephew is 8 and on high blood pressure med. Is it genetic? No, it is what he puts in his mouth. He is really in danger of having a stroke. I don't know what his parents are thinking.

 

[Vertigo]

Let me ask this question - is it ok then for a college coach to tell a high school senior (who is ideal weight for height, with ideal BMI) that she needs to gain weight in order to be a better player? I was told when I was recruited for a college team that I would need to gain 15 pounds before the season started. Ridiculous. Just saying - it does go both ways.

 

[MsDinosaur]

By the way, my DD is one of those kids who can benefit by losing 10-15 lbs. "WE" have spoken about turning some of that weight into muscle. "WE" have spoken about the benefits of more muscle = more speed, strength, stamina, and more power. "WE" have done this in such a way to not screw with the head of a 13 year old. We are doing something about it. I trust me when it comes to DD's head. I trust the coach when it comes to fielding, hitting, base-running, and pitch-calling (sometimes). This is a topic that may need to be shelved, cuz it may get the fall-out of the "fielders need to wear a mask" topic.

I agree! We're in the same boat. I think it would be great for DD to do more conditioning and strength training and she's excited about getting stronger and becoming a better athlete. She's been running a mile every night and her hitting coach was talking to her this morning about starting to lift weights. She'll never be a sprinter, but after doing speed and agility all winter, her speed is much improved. She is voracious, but she's aware of the importance of diet. She actually is the one who took candy out of my shopping cart and put it back, saying none of us needed it and urged me to get fruits and vegetables instead.

This is a tricky age. I'd prefer that she stick to working out and trying to eat healthy, rather than thinking she needs to go on a diet. I DON'T want to mess with her head and turn her from a 13 year old with tons of strength and endurance, but maybe 10-15 extra pounds, into a girl with eating and body image problems. That kind of thing can mess up a person's life permanently.

I don't have any problem at all with a coach talking about the importance of proper nutrition and conditioning, etc. I do think saying so-and-so is too fat is dangerous. JMO

 

[Easton33]

Should this be geared more to inches vs weight? Losing weight shouldn't be the focus of the conversation, but being more fit should be. Of course diet plays a huge part but at the end of the day if you burn more than you take in you will lose inches. If the conversation is approached like this and your dd is educated there shouldn't be a problem. You will not see huge weight loss with strength training but you will lose inches.