When do they get a break?

[radness]

Sometimes vacations are exhausting.
Just perspective.

Plan for a break / Plan for goals.
Time management is a good life skill.

 

[CrazyNani]

Unfortunately, this one will be.

 

[uncdrew]

Can't even count the number of pitcher injuries I know of personally because the girl didn't take a break.

We take 4-6 weeks off from pitching every winter, and hope to get 2-3 after summer ball. I (and many others) think those breaks are critical to staying healthy.

 

[djcarter1966]

Just take the break go on vacation, do basketball or whatever she wants...in the end the only thing a varsity coach hates more than not cow towing to their demanding bullying is losing. The problem comes when you are average to below average player if that is the case and you have not worked on getting better and you would be the 8th or 9th best player on varsity no problem or much drop off with just making you play JV another year. Now if you are top 5 player and you show up to all the workouts and practices and tryouts scheduled it will be really hard for the coach to keep you off the team...although it does occasionally happen, but a varsity coach doesn't control your life (outside of the season anyway). I've had several kids before and have one right now on our varsity team that volleyball is her #1 priority, but she doesn't miss any varsity softball events during varsity softball season she is one of the best 9, top 3 actually, so there is no questions about whether or not she plays.

 

[CrazyNani]

Yes, we have to shoot to be top 9 for sure, actually top 3 for OF. Thing is, she can be and everyone sees that. She’s just ambivalent about how serious she wants to take it beyond high school and that weighs against her. She’s coming around slowly though. Just a freshman so, next year will be key. It’s in her hands.

 

[Suzanne74]

This is my DD’s first summer off since 10U. She will be a sophomore in college. She opted for an internship vs summer softball - I thought it was a great choice.

My oldest was playing 16A ball and gave up the showcase summer circuit to work an unpaid engineering internship at our state university between her junior and senior year in high school. She programed drones that supplied water for forest fires instead of playing ball. Many of her teammates were recruited to Div II and III, but she knew she wanted to be an engineer and it would be nearly impossible to do both in college and also have some sort of social life. I was totally supportive and now she is graduating from a top college and getting ready to make a starting salary of 6 figures. She played some club softball and helps coach her younger sister's team on breaks. She missed it some, but has no regrets bailing out sooner than later.

Not everyone wants softball 24/7 and our job as parents is to realize that and support our kids no matter what level they play or if they play at all. Of course I would have loved to see her play and possibly get recruited. But it wasn't what she wanted and that's all that mattered.