Have You Started Practicing?

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Just wondering how many teams are having scheduled practices?
How often?
Is once a week enough?
How much is too much?
Are you playing Fall Ball?

 

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We haven't stopped once a week and voluntary on the weekends. Friendlys are set up to Nov.

 

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Twice a week starting 9/17. 14u...

 

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10U and we have girls from several areas, so I have optional practices in Worthington on Tuesday and in Marion on Wednesday and my girls are good at getting to atleast 1 practice during the week and we have practice on Saturdays for the whole team in a centralized location. We have been doing this for 2 weeks and it seems to work well. We will start playing friendlys at the end of September and play in 2 October tournaments.

 

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Started right after tryouts were over - practicing twice a week, friendly (2-4) and two tournaments..

12U Thunder

 

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weekly practices, team camp at U akron, 1 fall tourney and Winterball at CSU.
most girls in speed and agility training, hitting instruction on own.
Explosive 16u Crandall.

 

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Started once a week 3 weeks ago. We are also playing fallball so Sunday double headers.

 

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Does it ever end....

We are once a week right now.

 

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Yes on practices for 16U. On the weekend at least 2 hours. Starting fall ball and at least one fall tournament. How much is too much? I think the number of practices and the length of time depends on the age group, the distance the players are traveling and the team's skill level and readiness versus where they want to be.

 

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12U ... 3 hours, once a week for last 3 weeks ... doing a 3 way scrimmage in a couple of weeks, and then 2 tourneys in mid to late October. Will be working in some extra optional hitting practices as well.

 

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Haven't stopped, practice without team is always a bonus.

 

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We play fall ball but aren't practicing just yet. We use fall ball as a kind of cool down from nationals and to allow the girls to get to know each other and have fun. We will start practicing at the end of September/beginning of October and once we get going, we don't stop until August so this is basically the only time off they have....if you call it time off.

 

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We have a lot of new girls on an old 14U and many only play softball.

So we are do Sat and Sun for 2 weeks in Sept and then games and friendlies through end of Oct.

So I think it ends up being 6 practices and 24 "games" (many friendlies) through the end of October. Then a short break until we start indoor training and cross fit stuff.

Then it is kind of non-stop until March 10th.....and then we start back at it June 10-17th depending on if we have enough girls doen with HS ball.

It is going to be a blast. That long break for HS will be awesome.

 

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Had 1 optional 2wks ago, first practice this weekend. We go 1 time per week for about 3hrs and take about 1 1/2 mos off during the Winter. No Fall Ball, but 2 Fall tourneys and 1 Fall friendly. Almost every girl we have is a 3 sport athlete so time off in Winter lets them get away from softball for a while.

 

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18U...starting practice soon...not playing fall ball (happy for the break). They will play winter ball in Spano.

 

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16u. We started practicing mid August. Weekly for 3 hours. Start playing games this weekend and I think we have friendlies or tourneys every weekend except two through the first weekend in November. No rain on weekends now!

 

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We never stop. Team practice twice per week for 2 hours each. Then DD and I have pitching lessons once per week plus twice per week at home. Hitting lessons once per week plus once a week at the fields to work on hitting and fielding by ourselves. Oh yea and we try to squeeze in stregthening and conditioning twice per week. Thank God she is a one sport athlete and I have a flexable work schedule. It keeps me young and we love the time together!

 

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Valley Extreme 12U, we started early, by popular demand! we r playing fall ball, and 2fall tourneys.

 

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We never stop. Team practice twice per week for 2 hours each. Then DD and I have pitching lessons once per week plus twice per week at home. Hitting lessons once per week plus once a week at the fields to work on hitting and fielding by ourselves. Oh yea and we try to squeeze in stregthening and conditioning twice per week. Thank God she is a one sport athlete and I have a flexable work schedule. It keeps me young and we love the time together!

Wow, that's quite a schedule. When dose that poor girl have time to go to the mall, get a pedi, or sit around and text with her BFF's?

 

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Agree Lewam3, most pitchers I know are on shut down in August and Septemer and use that time to do core strength training.

VSFPcoach, I'm sure both you and your daughter mean well but make sure she has some free time away from the sport. I had one that used to pitch and we always set Mondays as "no workout day". To this day I regret letting her play three school sports plus fast pitch year round (fall ball). She tore her labrum as a freshman and after surgery was told that she was at high risk for another tear if she continued to pitch year round (she was very dedicated and pushed herself). She decided to give up pitching (she now plays 2nd and RF) and is a junior. Just passing along some experience, I can't tell you how many kids I know that have had serious shoulder/arm injuries from going full speed year round, its tough on their growing bodies.