What to do with injured player

[Hyper Henry]

I have an injured player that has been sitting out most of our off season training. She has a small tear in her wrist that may or may not require surgery down the road. By sitting out I mean not coming to practices at all unless we happen to be having a chalk talk night or a guest speaker coming in to talk to the girls. Am I wrong in thinking she still should be coming to practices?? And if so what can she be doing besides straight conditioning for an hour and half?? Which BTW she does definitely need to work on conditioning.
FYI......... we are a 16U travel team playing out of Ontario, Canada
Thaughts and suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Amy in AZ.]

It depends on what your requirements are. Some require it, some don't. What did you tell her? I wouldn't require her at training, if I didn't have a treadmill or something that she could do.

 

[riseball]

I would say it depends on their work ethic and love of the game. I have seen some that would use any excuse not to practice. These players probably do not really want to play and most likely will never play college ball. If you do not force them to practice they may leave and never come back.

Others love the game and sitting out is agonizing for them. Some know that if they do go to practice that they will not stay within themselves and may make matters worse. Those you can let choose their own path and when they are well enough will be ready to give you 100%.

 

[gatorcoach]

They are still part of the team and should be at every team function. IMO

 

[SCDad]

My player just returned from a 5 week injury. Went to every practice, and every team function.

Under Dr's orders all activities during this time was strictly up to the player. The coaches were not able to order her to do any activity. Only the activity the player thought she could do.

Started early as a mere go-fer. Each day did a little more. So that when the last Dr's appointment for clearance, she was all ready, and raring to go. Now back in the line up.

Dr wanted to hold her out from competition a while longer. Player was not hearing any of it. Told the Dr. so, and because the player was fit and ready, the Dr signed off for clearance. Injury was non-displaced fracture to knuckle.

The Original Poster is a travel team. If she is paying money, she can skip if she wants. Sounds like she does not really want to play. College potential has very little to do with this issue.

 

[riseball]

They are still part of the team and should be at every team function. IMO

If they are part of a High School or College team I would agree 100% because they are already onsite. However, I have 18U players that drive up to 90 minutes to get to a practice. Hard to compel them to attend if they have zero physical ability to participate. Bottom line is that if a player is injured they have lost their spot. It is up to them to get well and earn it back.

 

[PA SB Dad]

It depends on the injury. I had a player this winter who was out for virtually everything due to a concussion. One thing I found out from her neurologist is that baseball/softball indoors is particularly hard for a kid recovering from a concussion. Baseball and softball require that you be able to track the ball well, and it is particularly hard indoors with the lights. She was unable to concentrate well enough to do anything, and even sitting down and watching practice produced eyestrain and headaches. I excused her from every practice until she was symptom free, which took the entire winter. She still came to every other team function.

 

[Bugoozi]

Personally, I think the player should attend all practices and team events. She can always do one arm swings, one hand insider bat and pick up balls for her teammates. She is part of the team and she would be able to bond more.
I know when my dd broke her pitching thumb she came to every practice and did the above and also worked on leg drives off the rubber.

 

[wichita]

Has anyone thought of what the doctors recommendation is? Depending on the injury it could be rest not conditioning. Ever think you have a kid with a wrist injury and shes doing conditioning and falls .....you guessed it right on that wrist and now the wrist is worse and will need surgery not might need surgery. I've never understood why coaches make it mandatory for injured kids to be at practice now by that I mean a serious injury like severe sprain or knee injury or something torn ....they need rest first and foremost. The reason I say this is because my DD had a knee problem and ended up having surgery ...now before surgery coach said she needed to be at practice to see what they were working on so DW and I said ok but she needs to sit on a bucket or in the dugout with her knee elevated (Dr.orders) we go to pick her and little DD up from practice and coach has her carring buckets to the C tran so we polity told him she will be coming home from now on ....and that should tell you something about our coach.

 

[SCDad]

It is always the Dr. recommendation. Smart coaches know better.

Our case was specific for a broken knuckle. Wear splint for three weeks. Can run, maybe catch balls (throwing hand broken), but only to the extent that the player was comfortable. In other words, the coaches were not allowed to require her to do anything.

Showed up for all practices. Coaches did their part. Possibly nudged her very slowly after watching carefully. Strictly a go-fer at first, then just catching balls at plate for coach and so on. It was a team effort. It was also very apparent the player was working her injury as best as she could, and that the coaches monitored it carefully, and started "helping" her integrate back into the team.

Done correctly ... it works!!! If she sat on her butt for five weeks, the DR. would have made her sit for another four. As it is, she is back in the game and my life is much more pleasant.

Knees are much different. Anything torn is much different. Though a broken knuckle is severe, the prognosis and recovery is straightforward and easy. Much up to the player. If she pushes just a little, she can get back quicker. I am just glad it was a non displaced fracture. Anything worse (displaced) and the season would have been done. As it is she only missed 6 games.