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QOD; How much practice is too much?

What's on your mind?

by McGee » Thu Feb 14, 2019 6:02 pm

Well rounded people tend to do better in careers and life. Softball for most ends in rec, travel or high school and maybe 5% play in college.
Time for study, relaxation, friends and leadership generally pay off more than relentless, often inefficient practice every day.

As the previous post mentioned, keep the end in mind!
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by eclipse09 » Thu Feb 14, 2019 7:07 pm

My kid had a friend that went travel a year earlier than her and was not only taking honors and AP courses in school, but had practices/games four days a week (two weekdays and weekends). She also had conditioning, hitting and catching lessons. She was worked to a frazzle just in order to get her homework done. She quit travel before high school (still ended up playing high school ball) and ended up at a very prestigious college since she had more time for studying.

My kid started travel a year later and started out having a similar schedule. I could sense burnout and looked to her friend as an example. She hooked up with a team that focused on college and studying in the fall and had a much lighter than normal schedule. One weekday practice hitting/conditioning and weekends either practicing on Saturday only or doing showcases/tournaments with one weekend off a month. She also had hitting and pitching lessons, but we kept those to every other week. She is now playing softball for a Div III school that allows her to focus on academics.

She is glad she made that choice and now she still loves softball.
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by D-1 Dad » Fri Feb 15, 2019 11:35 am

I think for me and my daughter it was about time management. I had seen the effects of burnout from other kids, so when mine made the jump to travel from rec we decided to structure it. We put together a schedule and it would be based off of many things like school schedule,my work schedule, and her team schedule. We ended up buying a monthly cork board from Walmart, and wrote down her schedule for that month. We were lucky enough to have her team practice/game schedule a month in advance. Her schedule was mostly off on Monday if she had a practice on Sat and games on Sunday. Pitching lessons on Tuesday and we would hit (30 minutes each). Wednesday was fielding and speed and Agility class ( 2 hours ). Thursdays was pitching and hitting( 60 minutes). Friday was fielding and conditioning (2 hours). Saturday was team practice which had pitchers and catchers there 1 hour before regular practice ( 30 minutes ). This was more of an in season schedule but as you can see she never spent more 2 hours practicing and never had pitching and fielding the same day to take the load off of her throwing/pitching arm.I think the tougher schedules are for pitchers as they have the extra added pitching lessons and practice to do during the week. If you were just a hitter/fielder the practice load is much easier. She would also have to start/do her homework as soon a school let out or right after lessons no exception. She understood this and she understood that a soon as she finished lesson/schoolwork she would have free time to herself for whatever she wanted to do. She also had a weekend off every month and we wouldn't even touch a bat/ball/glove, tried not to even talk softball. Lastly when if were going out of town for games like/Vegas/Arizona or even Nor Cal we would leave on a Thursday after school and go a day earlier so she could relax, take in a movie ,or just hang out before a tournament. There nothing good about a kid cramped in the backseat driving 4-6 hours Friday night, then having to wake up at 5:30 to be at the fields at 7am and expect them to play at their best. Hope this helps.
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by eddiez577 » Fri Feb 15, 2019 12:16 pm

D-1 Dad wrote:I think for me and my daughter it was about time management. I had seen the effects of burnout from other kids, so when mine made the jump to travel from rec we decided to structure it. We put together a schedule and it would be based off of many things like school schedule,my work schedule, and her team schedule. We ended up buying a monthly cork board from Walmart, and wrote down her schedule for that month. We were lucky enough to have her team practice/game schedule a month in advance. Her schedule was mostly off on Monday if she had a practice on Sat and games on Sunday. Pitching lessons on Tuesday and we would hit (30 minutes each). Wednesday was fielding and speed and Agility class ( 2 hours ). Thursdays was pitching and hitting( 60 minutes). Friday was fielding and conditioning (2 hours). Saturday was team practice which had pitchers and catchers there 1 hour before regular practice ( 30 minutes ). This was more of an in season schedule but as you can see she never spent more 2 hours practicing and never had pitching and fielding the same day to take the load off of her throwing/pitching arm.I think the tougher schedules are for pitchers as they have the extra added pitching lessons and practice to do during the week. If you were just a hitter/fielder the practice load is much easier. She would also have to start/do her homework as soon a school let out or right after lessons no exception. She understood this and she understood that a soon as she finished lesson/schoolwork she would have free time to herself for whatever she wanted to do. She also had a weekend off every month and we wouldn't even touch a bat/ball/glove, tried not to even talk softball. Lastly when if were going out of town for games like/Vegas/Arizona or even Nor Cal we would leave on a Thursday after school and go a day earlier so she could relax, take in a movie ,or just hang out before a tournament. There nothing good about a kid cramped in the backseat driving 4-6 hours Friday night, then having to wake up at 5:30 to be at the fields at 7am and expect them to play at their best. Hope this helps.


Did your player miss school on Friday? Just wondering.
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by D-1 Dad » Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:36 pm

Yes, we made arrangements with her teachers to give her the assignments. She would normally do the work on the way, or Friday morning. She would be done at the latest by 11am and we would have the rest of the day to do something.This only happened about 2-3 times during the school year, so it wasn't a big problem. My wife and I's though process was that as long as she was doing the work and turning in her assignments we were good. And like said it was only 2-3 times a school year.
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by sftblldad25 » Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:57 pm

From what I see around me, many of these girls figure out how to maintain high grades and complete their homework despite all the lessons, conditioning, fielding, and team practices. They learn time management and are driven to excel in all endeavors. Money flying out the wallet for sure, but in the end, it is all worth it. If it wasn't for softball, you'd probably end up spending your money on crazy stuff like exotic vacations, fancy cars, concerts, cruises, craft beer, and great tequila. Or maybe fund your own charitable foundation. :lol: :D Rain is delaying the satisfaction of playing games, but I'll remember these days in June when we're playing in Hemet in 100F or Vegas in 110F at 10pm. Ever do Reno in July?
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by E Train Dad » Fri Feb 15, 2019 5:19 pm

There is one place I will never miss from Travelball! Hemet Hell!!
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by Schmick » Fri Feb 15, 2019 7:18 pm

GIMNEPIWO wrote:In HS I do 2.5 to 3 hours a weekday and 3 hours Saturday AM, except game days ... Game days we do about 30 minutes in the cage and batting T stations, just enough to loosen up. Pitchers & Catchers still go to any outside instruction or throw a session if they need to, over and above. I do not encourage it, but if they want to go to a travel ball practice or tournament; I leave it up to them as long as it does not interfere with HS practice or game. Conditioning ? If they aren't beat by the time they leave one of my practices; have at it. :lol: I've not had that problem.



Isn't it illegal for any player to participate in any umpired games outside of High School games from February til HS season ends in May?
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by Schmick » Fri Feb 15, 2019 7:20 pm

jonriv wrote:The question I would have to ask is:

Do these kids have homework and studying to do?


She gets out of school at 2, homework is done by 430.
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by Schmick » Fri Feb 15, 2019 7:26 pm

Fastpitch4Life wrote:
Schmick wrote:Only an 8th grader

Monday 30 min pitching lesson 30 min hitting lesson
Tuesday 30 min pitching lesson, 30 mins of hitting, 60 min fielding clinic
Wednesday Long Toss, 60 minute speed and conditioning class
Thursday pitching workout, 60 minute speed and conditioning class
Friday Off
Saturday games or team practice (usually 4 hours tops) or Off on Off weekends she will do Long Toss and throw a bully in the cage, usually 60-90 pitches
Sunday games or Off if Off she might do what she didn't get done on Saturday


Doesn't seem like it's too much. The time spent driving can be a pain. Right now the whole family is going a little Stir Crazy with this damn wet crap falling from the skies


These hitting, pitching and fielding coaches must love you! $$$$$$$$ :D


Monday hitting and pitching coach is 250 a month, Tuesday pitching coach is neighbor, he was her first coach, he was 20 bucks a week now he doesnt charge and she can use the cages whenever she wants.
Fielding classes are through the organization and are free for her
Speed and conditioning costs 65 dollars a month
Dues and all of the lessons total out to 500 a month
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