Winter workouts: Start now or in January?

[3'sDad]

DD's club team finished fall ball right before Halloween and is shut down until 1/8/12. DD is a pitcher. Due to her HS field hockey team advancing in their State tournament group, she was 100% focused on her fall sport.

She should get back to pitching lessons in the next week or so,as the PC wants to add a new pitch to the arsenal for Spring. Last year, as a result of too many summer games, DD was a bit burned out; thus we limited pitching to her weekly lesson with no practice sessions until after the New Year. She was behind in her pitching until school ball started in April and caught up.

 

[soupy62]

We shut down after the season (early aug) and start our winter schedule in the middle of sept. These consist of one 2 hour practice on sunday and bat for 1 hour every other Friday. Starting Nov 1st we do an off season workout it has nothing to do with softball except for softball related exercises. We do 2 7 week cycles and are done with them toward the end of feb. We do them 3 days a week and its about an hour and a half long. However the workouts are not mandatory and are more for kids that are not doing a winter sport. About half of my team does it, about half of another team in or oganization and a few high school girls. We range from 15 to 20 girls every night.

 

[jacketsfan]

Interesting concept of taking a break.

Honestly, in FL, we started the Spring season around Jan 15, and played all the way until Dec 15. We took a few breaks in the summer, and around holidays, but it was grueling. By the last tourney in Dec, honestly, I needed a break worse than the girls. I was mentally exhausted by about Sep.

This only lasts until HS age. In HS, there is a big exposure tourney the first weekend in Jan, with HS tryouts the week after. HS ball goes until May, when you start all over, playing until Dec again.

My DD's senior year in HS, she was burnt out. She ended up quitting her HS team (with the blessing of her future college coach) mid-way through the season, and not doing much of anything for about 2 months (Mar-Apr). Around mid-April, she started pitching again, slowly (by that I mean really only going to a lesson, but not really working outside of that). By May, I think she was stronger than she had been for years.

Summer after her senior HS season was her strongest pitching ever, and Fall practice in college went real well.

So, with it do over, I build in more rest and break time. We didn't realize just how tired she was until her senior season.

Taking those couple of months off her senior year, we both feel, added 5 mph to her FB. We both say now - should've taken more time off when we were so weary when she was younger.

 

[stiksdad]

break

I am a firm believer in a 6 week break. It gives everyones batteries time to recharge and come back hungry to work. Plus it allows nagging injuries if you have ant time to recover. Time spent with family and friends during the holidays though sometimes difficult is also priceless.

 

[mike s]

Take a break

I am in the take a break camp. DD finished fall season in mid-Oct. and team started non-mandatory 2 hour practices last week (mid-Nov) these will become mandatory in Dec. They are 16U so we will lose them in mid Feb to HS till end of May. I agree that the advantages of a break are, nagging injuries have time to heal, batteries are rejuvenated, and give them time to do some other things. Someone stated in an earlier post that balance is improtant, I agree but usually state it a little different, no extremes. Playing and practicing 52/365 is IMO an extreme. So give them a break they will come back ready and even eager to work hard.

Mike
Act well thine part, therein all honor lies

 

[mike s]

Take a break

double post, still gettin the hang of this

 

[SoftSocDad]

I made DD take a nice, long break last winter, but she is refusing to take more than a couple weeks off this year. The other pitcher on her team is still practicing, too.

 

[Bouldersdad]

I have always shut mine down for 2 months from organised practices and games. She was still able to work on her hitting and defense in that time span but kids need a break especially around the holidays. Last tournament was always Halloween weekend in Chattanooga then finished until after Jan 1. Sometimes a little less is more.I honestly think that only playing 10 months a year compared to year round saves a ton on injuries, burn out and overall boredom with the kids. Not to mention its one heck of alot easier to spend money on the holidays not having to worry about paying for hotel fuel and food for travel.

Once they are at the recruitment age spend that time period for camps clinics and visits to colleges shes interested in. Just some more food for thought.


Tim

 

[softballdad#16]

Give your DD some much deserved time off. If the DD"s on this site are like mine, they would go and go and go, like the energizer bunny. But we as parents & coaches need to let them rest their bodies and minds. I promise you, your DD will come back much stronger after the break. It has most likely been a long and draining season like ours. We have been going hard since last Feb.(Rec&TB). So in my opinion my daughter has earned the right to take a few months off and be a kid, hang with friends, have sleep overs, ya know stuff you she don't have time for during the hectic season. Before you know it, it will be Feb. and it starts all over. Just continue once or twice a week with pitching lessons or tee work. Just something nice and easy to keep her swing or pitching mechanics insync. Have a wonderful holiday season.

 

[quincy]

The big thing for DD is that she does not need to follow anyone else’s schedule. She is working on her game but around her schedule.