Burn Out

[girlzgotgame]

I am hearing stories of girlz who play travel ball, then HS and travel ball, get recruited for college, but turn down scholarships because they are burned out. How do you help prevent burn out, especially when you have coaches who practice their teams or have them in a friendly or tourney every weekend? When do girlz fit in time with friends or participate in activities that are not softball related???

[Coach11]

I am hearing stories of girlz who play travel ball, then HS and travel ball, get recruited for college, but turn down scholarships because they are burned out. How do you help prevent burn out, especially when you have coaches who practice their teams or have them in a friendly or tourney every weekend? When do girlz fit in time with friends or participate in activities that are not softball related???

I think it depends on the individual more than anything else. I've seen just as many girls tire of the sport because that's all they do, as I have girls who participate in various activities.

My own daughter plays year round, with only short breaks here and there. If it were up to her, there'd be no breaks at all. She's a '94....freshman in HS. Last spring/summer, she played on her JV team, Rec. League, travel league and tournament team. She'll play varsity this year, and will only be giving up the rec. league.

I don't know that she won't burn out...but at this point, I can't see her love for the game diminishing. Especially as she thrives on the challenges each new level brings.

[AM Softball]

I am hearing stories of girlz who play travel ball, then HS and travel ball, get recruited for college, but turn down scholarships because they are burned out. How do you help prevent burn out, especially when you have coaches who practice their teams or have them in a friendly or tourney every weekend? When do girlz fit in time with friends or participate in activities that are not softball related???

What age group? That makes a difference.

My daughter (12 years old) is not allowed to pick up a softball (she can ice skate, play volleyball, basketball, roller skate, whatever sport she likes...but NO SOFTBALL) from: Dec 1 to Jan 17th and from August 3 to Sept 5th. That allows her break time at Christmas and right after Nationals during a full year sport!

I wish more coaches would understand this but the emphasis on winning isn't always what is best for the kids. It is not only good for them mentally, it is good for them physically (they need to rest their bodies, especially when growing) and they will come back a little rusty but will catch up soon and be even stronger!

During the week, she practices 3-4 times a week. Since most games are on Sunday, she doesn't pick up a ball on Monday and her hard workouts are Tues/Wed/Thurs during the fall and Fri too during the spring. I think that is a good balance for her, espcially at an age where they miss their friends, birthday parties, have a lot of homework, etc. They need to be kids too!

Burn out happens all of the time. I coached an amazing player from 9th grade to 12th grade. She got a full scholarship to LSU (a top team). She broke every freshman record hir first year and hit two grand slams in extra innings on TV and quit right after that season ended and never played college softball again. I would have thought that would have been one of the best times in her life and I was in shock when she walked away! I thought I would see this kid on the Olympic team because she worked so hard and was so great at what she did.

She was burnt out, her Mom was devestated, I was crying and could not believe it but she was burn out. It's crazy but happens all the time so keep it in perspective when your daughter maybe wants to take a day off! They NEED breaks.

In HS, they are now playing 6 days a week so that gets tough too. I think playing other sports helped me love each one of them and take tie off the other so that is a good idea too so they don't get burned out.

Good luck!

[Empire United]

I am hearing stories of girlz who play travel ball, then HS and travel ball, get recruited for college, but turn down scholarships because they are burned out. How do you help prevent burn out, especially when you have coaches who practice their teams or have them in a friendly or tourney every weekend? When do girlz fit in time with friends or participate in activities that are not softball related???

I think it is important to be cognizant of what burn-out really is. Burn out isn't working too hard, burn-out isn't "being tired". Burn-out is the actual or perceived realization that the effort they are putting into something, beit sports, professional life/work, or otherwise, wasn't worth the outcome. What they have left in their hand doesn't weigh equally to what they put into what is in their hand in the first place. That is burn-out. So don't treat the symptoms of being tired and "taking the weekend off", that won't help. It has to be worth their while. It has to be fun, it has to be productive based on their own measurements, there has to be perceived progress that they like, personal achievement, it has to be personalized. As I see older girls play it seems very depersonalized. A ground out is bam, bam, bam and over in 1sec, onto the next out, rinse and repeat.

[girlzgotgame]

Good insight Empire United....
It does seem as though the older some girlz become, the less fun they have. This could be due to over zealous parents and coaches who are all about winning and not developing players, and forget to let girlz have fun. I really like what you said about personal achievement. I hope you are a coach. Our girlz need coaches with your philosophy.

[artomatic]

it's "girls"

ugh...sorry, I just couldn't take it anymore...

[OCTravelCoach]

Don't have TB practices on Sundays during the high school season. Give them a break and some weekend time for other things. We'll be having two fielding clinics one in March and one in April to keep team chemistry. Other than that, they're off till May.

[RaeRae56]

Was that driving you nutz Art?

[Notre Dame bball]

Burn Out also comes from players knowing more than the coaches and coaches playing girls at the wrong positions. A good coach will keep players intrested;motivated and skilled up. Where are all the good coaches............

[SSdad]

Yeah, don't even need the encyclopedias anymore. Kid knows it all.