What is the general philosophy of accepting girls who play other sports? My daughter is only 9 years old and was easily the best player on her team this past summer (on an 8U travel team). We were told by coaches/parents that we should have her try out at the much more competitive clubs for the upcoming 2014/2015 season. However, we were told that most of these organizations will not take her if she doesn't give up her other sports. She loves playing soccer and basketball too, and is very good at those sports too. As a mom who played 3 sports growing up, I think it is ridiculous to have her pick at such a young age. If off-seasons only require 1 practice a week - that will not be a problem, as long as they are on days she can make it. Are teams willing to work with athletes that play other sports, especially at the 9U/10U level?
Do Teams Accept Girls Who Play Other Sports?
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FastBat
Well-Known Member
In my experience, yes your kid can play other sports. If you hear no, keep looking! My DD does gymnastics and I think this actually helps with conditioning. With gymnastics atleast she's not sitting on her bucket, in her free time, playing video games!
freddieball
Member
At her age play all you can. Most teams will understand off season sports. If they don't then probably not a good fit. Just ask any team you tryout for up front. Then hold them to their word. Not just other sports but fairs are another thing that can conflict. I would not allow anything as a parent that would take away from childhood. You only get that once.
Coach_Dave
New Member
DO NOT have your 9-year old give up other sports. Kids that specialize in 1 sport are far more prone to injury, because they constantly use the same muscle groups. They are also more prone to sports related burnout. Pat Summitt was one of the greatest coaches of female athletes of our generation and she encouraged athletes to play multiple sports. There is also a value (both mental and physical) to taking a break from a sport, even if it is to play another sport. Here is a good read on the subject:
http://changingthegameproject.com/what-about-the-single-sport-athlete-specialization-part-ii/
With that being said, if you want your child to play high level fast pitch, the sport will have to take precedence during softball season. Missing a fast pitch tournament for occer (with an s) will not work.
http://changingthegameproject.com/what-about-the-single-sport-athlete-specialization-part-ii/
With that being said, if you want your child to play high level fast pitch, the sport will have to take precedence during softball season. Missing a fast pitch tournament for occer (with an s) will not work.
flygirlsdad
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Definitely play other sports. Especially at a young age. After a 10u private tryout, I mentioned my daughter playing volleyball and the coach stated winter workouts were mandatory and could affect her playing and positioning. I never called him back and found another team my DD has been with for 4 years now. If a coach can find 10-12 10yo girls to play softball only, good for him or her. I would think almost all young teams have a number of multi-sport athletes.
dannyboy
Member
Allow your children to play as many sports as you can afford. They are only kids once, and you can always make more money later.
wvanalmsick
Member
Yes, play other sports but you mentioned 1 practice per week during the off-season.
That practice is a team practice. If you are going to be on a top-level team, you are also expected to conduct workouts (Batting, Pitching) on your own during the week. Especially at a young age, a lot of repetitive batting drills off of a tee is required to become a great hitter.
Also throw in hitting and/or pitching lessons and you are easily up to 4 or 5 days a week during the off-season.
That practice is a team practice. If you are going to be on a top-level team, you are also expected to conduct workouts (Batting, Pitching) on your own during the week. Especially at a young age, a lot of repetitive batting drills off of a tee is required to become a great hitter.
Also throw in hitting and/or pitching lessons and you are easily up to 4 or 5 days a week during the off-season.
Westler33
Member
yes my dd plays basketball and volleyball. I think multiple sports helps the kids be more rounded and better athletes.
wow
Active Member
I think as long as you can commit and make the time its a none issue.. off season sports make the most sense.. Just don't miss softball practice for volleyball.... that's when its get harry...
Great! I am pleasantly surprised that most hold my same opinion. We have no problem practicing with her when we are home. In fact, she is the type that is CONSTANTLY wanting to practice. We just need to find a coach who is willing to work with us as we are willing to work with them! Thanks for the responses!
I know that on the Stingrays 04 last year all of our girls played another sport, and most of them two other sports. As a high school coach, I hate it when high school kids choose to focus, or when coaches encourage their athletes to focus solely on one sport. In my opinion injuries are on the rise due to overuse of muscles because if athletes only focus on one sport, and don't condition correctly they overuse specific muscles. For example if a girls puts down the softball to play some volleyball, her shoulder and elbow are getting a chance to heal, and she is still staying in shape. The more sports the better, and I wish that all coaches encouraged the same mindset.
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Devildog8290
New Member
Not only do I encourage my players and DD to play other sports, I strongly feel it is better for their overall health. Helps their overall coordination, strength, speed, cuts down on repetitive motion injuries, and helps with sports burnout. Plus, these are KIDS, let them play while they can.
Keep looking, you'll find the right fit.
Keep looking, you'll find the right fit.
wow
Active Member
I have been reading and following a number of these comments and everyone is pretty much in agreement with playing other sports. I do agree that at the earlier levels multiple sports is very important. One reason is who knows if Suzie will even like fastpitch in a year or two or three?
The concern here is the underlying reasons why the questions arises and why so many are so passionate. My take is travel is a long season and some kids start as early as September and go straight through to July with maybe Nov and Dec off. This makes it a very long season and inevitably gets in the way of other sports. If its a issue of not making a practice or a conflict arises where games are missed, how will a coach or other players take that? It is very important parents and coaches agree on missed turneys and practices up front. If everyone is ok with the club schedule and the coach can get his 11-13 players to the practices he/she needs, great everyone wins. If not there are unhappy coaches, players, and parents real fast...
This may be opening up another side of this conversation but when a kid misses travel because they are in a number of other sports, social clubs, music lessons, and after school activities and impacts the teams ability to work together is it ok? Just a fine line between taking on too much and experiencing every sport there is. Travel is a commitment and there are sacrifices.
As a disclaimer my girls both play travel. They also do cross country and basketball... Fastpitch takes priority 95% of the time...
The concern here is the underlying reasons why the questions arises and why so many are so passionate. My take is travel is a long season and some kids start as early as September and go straight through to July with maybe Nov and Dec off. This makes it a very long season and inevitably gets in the way of other sports. If its a issue of not making a practice or a conflict arises where games are missed, how will a coach or other players take that? It is very important parents and coaches agree on missed turneys and practices up front. If everyone is ok with the club schedule and the coach can get his 11-13 players to the practices he/she needs, great everyone wins. If not there are unhappy coaches, players, and parents real fast...
This may be opening up another side of this conversation but when a kid misses travel because they are in a number of other sports, social clubs, music lessons, and after school activities and impacts the teams ability to work together is it ok? Just a fine line between taking on too much and experiencing every sport there is. Travel is a commitment and there are sacrifices.
As a disclaimer my girls both play travel. They also do cross country and basketball... Fastpitch takes priority 95% of the time...
My DD plays VB, BB and Travel/School Softball. VB and BB are for her school only, she does travel ball only with softball and plays all year round from tryouts to tryouts. Her SB coach expects her to work at home and has no problem with her missing practices for games in her other sports. Fastpitch takes priority for her and that is her decision. I heard a college coach talk about recruiting last week and was pleasantly surprised to hear that they prefer to look at multiple sport athletes and will travel to watch a potential recruit play another sport. This is so they know that the student is athletic and not just a Fastpitch player. Last year as a freshman she played Varsity VB and Fastpitch and JV Basketball. Sometimes we would leave straight from VB practice to go to Fastpitch practice and she would be doing homework in the car but it works for her.
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You will find the ladies that can play multiple sports are generally your better athletes.
Under 13 my DD played, softball, football, basketball , volleyball and about 15 minutes of soccer not all in the same year but, over the course of several years from 8 until 13. She also started speed and strength training at 12.
As a HS sophomore she decided to not play softball in order to play lacrosse in HS just to try it. Some of my better players also played soccer or basketball at a high level all through high school.
You will find most college coaches, and sports experts agree that it is more beneficial for athletes to have other activities and not focus on one sport too early. Having different activities not only helps condition the body but also works the mind as the different activities/sports will require them to think and focus.
Once the ladies get pass 13 they understand what it is they want to do and mine dropped the other sports just to focus on golf, softball, strength and agility training. She did all throughout her HS career and is still doing both in college even started playing soccer once a week with her old teammates and high school coaches to stay in shape.
Naturally; the player/parent needs to be honest and upfront during tryouts on what their plans are but under 14 if the players skill sets are worthy of the top teams it will show during the tryout and the other activities should not hamper her in her quest to get on the team. If it does that would most likely not be a good fit anyway.
Know where you want to go. Do not dream about it plan for it. Set goals and Make It Happen!
Under 13 my DD played, softball, football, basketball , volleyball and about 15 minutes of soccer not all in the same year but, over the course of several years from 8 until 13. She also started speed and strength training at 12.
As a HS sophomore she decided to not play softball in order to play lacrosse in HS just to try it. Some of my better players also played soccer or basketball at a high level all through high school.
You will find most college coaches, and sports experts agree that it is more beneficial for athletes to have other activities and not focus on one sport too early. Having different activities not only helps condition the body but also works the mind as the different activities/sports will require them to think and focus.
Once the ladies get pass 13 they understand what it is they want to do and mine dropped the other sports just to focus on golf, softball, strength and agility training. She did all throughout her HS career and is still doing both in college even started playing soccer once a week with her old teammates and high school coaches to stay in shape.
Naturally; the player/parent needs to be honest and upfront during tryouts on what their plans are but under 14 if the players skill sets are worthy of the top teams it will show during the tryout and the other activities should not hamper her in her quest to get on the team. If it does that would most likely not be a good fit anyway.
Know where you want to go. Do not dream about it plan for it. Set goals and Make It Happen!
A word of caution:
Be very careful that you don't allow her to burn out. It is very tempting to allow her to play every sport in every season especially if she is very athletic and excels so easily. She is so young that I agree that she should try out each sport but she will have to start paring down her selections as she progresses to the higher levels. All the sports begin to demand 12 month a year commitments and our dd's simply can not keep up this demanding schedule. Perhaps she can play several but only focus on a few in the next couple years and then begin to cut out even some of those as she ages.
She will need time to recover from each season so she can recharge or so she doesn't blow out her knee AND so that she has time for prom or the science fair or the music trip. Most kids quit sports due to burn out and just walk away. Don't let your dd fall victim to that disease because once you break her spirit she will not recover. You may have to be an adult and just say no when she wants to do one more thing.
Also, most 18U multi-sport athletes will not be pitchers. (now I said 'most') The time and effort required to learn that craft at a high level does not permit substantial breaks while other sports are in season. If she wants to compete in other sports and do softball; steer her away from pitching.
Be very careful that you don't allow her to burn out. It is very tempting to allow her to play every sport in every season especially if she is very athletic and excels so easily. She is so young that I agree that she should try out each sport but she will have to start paring down her selections as she progresses to the higher levels. All the sports begin to demand 12 month a year commitments and our dd's simply can not keep up this demanding schedule. Perhaps she can play several but only focus on a few in the next couple years and then begin to cut out even some of those as she ages.
She will need time to recover from each season so she can recharge or so she doesn't blow out her knee AND so that she has time for prom or the science fair or the music trip. Most kids quit sports due to burn out and just walk away. Don't let your dd fall victim to that disease because once you break her spirit she will not recover. You may have to be an adult and just say no when she wants to do one more thing.
Also, most 18U multi-sport athletes will not be pitchers. (now I said 'most') The time and effort required to learn that craft at a high level does not permit substantial breaks while other sports are in season. If she wants to compete in other sports and do softball; steer her away from pitching.
dgrau
New Member
I agree that playing other sports keeps your daughter in shape and some of best athletes play multiple sports. But I think at same time your daughter will need to decide which sport she wants to play at a higher level (IE select). If they do play other sports which ever season you are in that is your priority and you make all games and practices for the in season sport.
Also
I think it is to hard on the girls and all teams involved if your daughter wants to play travel Volleyball, Softball, and the dirtiest of all words soccer. I would pick the sports they want to excel at and play travel there and maybe rec for the others. If you don't like the competition at the rec level have your DD play up.
Also
I think it is to hard on the girls and all teams involved if your daughter wants to play travel Volleyball, Softball, and the dirtiest of all words soccer. I would pick the sports they want to excel at and play travel there and maybe rec for the others. If you don't like the competition at the rec level have your DD play up.
I took my DD to a college showcase in Akron a few weeks ago and one of the college coaches there during the recruiting Q&A session said the best players she ever had on her softball team played other sports in HS. I think it was the Kent State head coach who said this.
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