Second Sport

[Tatonka]

Any advantages to this type of conditioning in relation to softball? Curious to hear others' experiences.

My take on swimming as it relates to conditioning for softball is that yes, it is advantageous. The overall physical shape required to be in for swimming competitively will definitely help your daughters athletic endeavors. It also should help reduce potential injuries. Will it replace certain softball related exercises? No, but they will have an edge over the kid that does nothing else IMHO.

My oldest DD swam in HS but never caught the softball bug. My twins (now in college) played just about everything else while focusing primarily on softball.

 

[uncdrew]

At least it’s not track. All the same sit around and wait without the warmth.

My memory of swim meets is arriving straight from work and sweating my butt off in work clothes with a seat so far from the pool I couldn't watch my kids even if I wanted to.

 

[Fermi]

My DD 10 years and my son 8 years play rec Basketball in addition to TB baseball and softball.

My son enjoys playing tennis , but I’m afraid if he plays rec it will mess with his baseball swing, so not sure what to do.

He plays rec soccer, which he also enjoys.


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[Dropball]

I always believed having to play a sport where you have to play offense and defense rather than playing clock was preferable.

Shows what I know, my DD was a swimmer as her 2nd sport. Great conditioning.

 

[chinamigarden]

My DD 10 years and my son 8 years play rec Basketball in addition to TB baseball and softball.

My son enjoys playing tennis , but I’m afraid if he plays rec it will mess with his baseball swing, so not sure what to do.

He plays rec soccer, which he also enjoys.


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I played tennis (and golf) RH and batted left. My DD was golf RH and batted left.

 

[Intheboondocks]

My DD 10 years and my son 8 years play rec Basketball in addition to TB baseball and softball.

My son enjoys playing tennis , but I’m afraid if he plays rec it will mess with his baseball swing, so not sure what to do.

He plays rec soccer, which he also enjoys.


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There is a local to me p5 pitcher who led her highschool team in home runs who also played tennis. She felt that tennis helped her hand eye, and didn't hurt her swing. After taking hitting instruction from her this summer, my daughter decided to play tennis this fall and made the tournament team as a backup.

 

[NJZoo]

I think any sport that improves your cardio and lean muscle strength (swimming def qualifies) will only benefit a child playing softball. The biggest issues become juggling the time commitments. My daughter played travel lacrosse for a couple of years, it was great conditioning and hand/eye reps, but it is also a Spring sport, so she missed half of the games. We have a girl on our team that was doing competitive swimming, but eventually had to choose between swimming and softball.

Oh, and the absolute worst thing about swimming is in the Winter when it's 20 degrees out and your are bundled up and then go into a facility with a pool at it's 85 and humid and you have to strip off every article of clothing you own or drown in your own sweat.

 

[Rolling Hard]

There is a local to me p5 pitcher who led her highschool team in home runs who also played tennis. She felt that tennis helped her hand eye, and didn't hurt her swing. After taking hitting instruction from her this summer, my daughter decided to play tennis this fall and made the tournament team as a backup.

Tennis involves eye hand coordination, timing, footwork, sequencing the body for power, strong obliques and cardio. Be an athlete first.

 

[PAFPDAD]

My two youngest DD's (8 and 11 years old) are now participating on a swimming team that likely will practice most of the year and have meets in Winter and Spring. I am a new parent to the competitive swimming sport, maybe they swim year around, just not sure. But anyone else's DD swim competitively? Any advantages to this type of conditioning in relation to softball? Curious to hear others' experiences.

If I could go back in time and have my two older kids play a sport that they didn't swim would have been it. My 4-year-old is already involved in swimming and will join a swim team when she is old enough.

 

[DryHeat]

DD plays HS badminton. The high level stuff is really fun to watch. They get so much movement training and have to work so much harder point after point. DD has won matches just grinding her opponent into the ground with forward/back transitions. Although I do worry about the level of shoulder and elbow use. SO many arm reps.