Tough Decisions regarding Injury + Tryouts

[grcsftbll]

She has got to rest it. Has to. I can just about guarantee you that she will be able to find a team when she's healed. One of DD's teammates from last year literally picked up all fall. She is also a catcher. They wanted to make sure they found a good fit so they refused to commit anywhere until fall was over. They played with a lot of teams, and chose one at the end of fall season. I don't think she ever had any trouble finding a team that needed a solid catcher. When DD's team has been off and she's wanted to play, the hardest part was choosing which team to play with. Seriously. It's not worth making this worse and making the healing process last longer to try to lock in with a team right now. Rest, heal, then find a team. She WILL find one when she's ready to play again.

 

[CMMom1740]

Thanks, guys. Yes, I think that I will just contact everyone that I have her lined up to see and explain the situation. She can still hit, block, frame, and receive, just not throw back to the pitcher or do drills with overhand throws. I don't want to waste anyone's time, so maybe give them the option as to whether seeing her do all of that without throwing would give them enough data points to make a decision. I don't want to waste my or DD's time either. She is 13 (2003 bday, 2022 grad year) and very hormonal/emotional right now, and she does feel like it's the end of the world right now. There's no good time to be injured, but being injured when your team implodes doubly sucks.

ETA: All three of the previous team's coaches plus her hitting/catching coach will vouch for her, but I understand that some want to see the "whole package" and I can understand that.

 

[BobInMadison]

Good plan.

The most valuable time I spent listening to the radio while driving was listening to an NPR interview with Tommy John. He had TONS of useful information, lots of thoughts as to bad practices destroying the arms of young baseball players, and that could be extended somewhat to softball players.

I will distill it down to a two sentences:

Overuse bad.
Rest and recovery good.

 

[grcsftbll]

And there are just so many teams in Atlanta. And so much movement between teams. I would be very shocked if finding a team were an issue. Really shocked.

 

[Sweet Lou]

I will echo others the tryouts aren't worth the risk of long-term injury.

 

[Il softball fan]

DD was 14 when she had spinal fusion, so I completely understand the emotional teenage end of the world tears. We had lots and lots of tears. Explain to her that 6-8 weeks is just a drop in the bucket to her whole life, and if it doesn't heal right the first time, that she will be sitting out again and probably for longer next time.

 

[BobInMadison]

Last August my DD 3 went to 3 tryouts, and was offered spots on all 3 teams. For the first tryout she was slightly injured before the tryout, so she didn't pitch during the tryout. This was a case where the coaches had seen her pitch before, and they knew she was hurt.

 

[BT3100]

I'm surprised these coaches are allowing a kid who is injured to tryout (assuming that they know). It sounds like your DD is talented and as a catcher she will have many opportunities to make teams in a few months when she is back to 100%. I do know it's tough as with kids that age you never can tell if the pain is a 2 on a 1-10 scale or a 10... But the tears don't lie.

 

[CMMom1740]

Yes, she is no crybaby. Hates to show weakness to me or anyone. But she cried last night. Good tryout tonight even without throwing. She's invited back Sunday for practice. We will outline the same parameters and just see what happens.

 

[grcsftbll]

Totally OT but DD's coach took her to KSU's opening day today and look what they've got.