Multi-Sport Weekends....what do you do?

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My 5th grader is just finishing up her first year of AAU basketball and playing for a travel softball team for the first time. Both of which she absolutely loves.

I was wondering what other people do as far as having overlapping tournaments. Twice this year we had weekends that overlapped.

The first one we had 2 basketball games on Friday night (No softball scheduled)
Saturday and Sunday we spent at Softball as we couldn't get back to any of the basketball games as the times overlapped and we were an hour away.

This last weekend was a little tough.
Friday night 8 PM softball game 45 minutes away.
Saturday 8 AM & 11 AM Softball game 45 minutes away followed by a 6:45 & 8 PM basketball games (we had missed the 11:00 basketball game)
She was very tired Sunday morning, but 9:00 AM basketball game then head to softball which started at 12:30, then 2:00..unfortunately we lost and missed the afternoon basketball game which we lost as well.

My question to those who play 2 sports, do you try to make as many of the games as you can, or do you simply say we have X this weekend and won't be there?

Any advice would be great...and all this doesn't count getting the other child to her softball games!

 

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From a coach's perspective, I hope that you discussed the potential conflicts with your softball coach and your AAU coach before you made commitments to both teams. We've had players who played travel softball and AAU summer sports but it involved a lot of communication and as the team got older, there has typically been only one weekend that the player is not with us because of a second sport. We love multi-sport athletes, but if it spills over to an AAU season that conflicts with the travel softball ball season, we expect that softball will have a priority.

So I guess I'm saying make sure you understand the consequences before you simply say "we have x and we won't be at y this weekend".

 

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As a coach...I love multi-sport atheletes and will support any girl on my team playing high school sports, it keeps them well rounded and in shape. As far as travel sports, I won't take a player who plays other travel sports. There is just way too much conflict and I have been burnt by it too many times.
As a parent....my dd plays basketball as well as fastpitch and I would never make her quit one for the other but she can only commit to 1 year round travel sport or she will be unable to fulfill her commitment to either of them and will let both teams down. If she is worn out running from sport to sport than she isn't giving either team 100%. If she is missing practices for both sports than she isn't going to progress with everyone else. If she is missing games or tournaments for both teams than she isn't going to be there for her team when they need her. Both teams expect 100% commitment pretty much all year round depending on the level of play you are looking for. For me personally, it just doesn't work without causing some kind of problems.

 

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From a coach's perspective, I hope that you discussed the potential conflicts with your softball coach and your AAU coach before you made commitments to both teams. We've had players who played travel softball and AAU summer sports but it involved a lot of communication and as the team got older, there has typically been only one weekend that the player is not with us because of a second sport. We love multi-sport athletes, but if it spills over to an AAU season that conflicts with the travel softball ball season, we expect that softball will have a priority.

So I guess I'm saying make sure you understand the consequences before you simply say "we have x and we won't be at y this weekend".

Both coaches/teams are were fully aware that she was playing both and that softball is the priority when conflicts arise. I was just asking if those in simular situations try to make the second sport games as well, or just focus on softball the whole weekend.

 

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With the high intensity of either sport, I would not want my DD or any players on my team to do both. They get exhausted doing either, and are more likely, IMO, to get injured if they do both. There is a reason why I want my players resting after each game and not running around.

 

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When my DD was that age, she also played a second travel sport and I recall many weekends of driving from one game to another, eating a quick bite in the car, changing uniforms, playing a game, and then reversing the whole process and doing it again. It is possible (but difficult) to play two tournaments in the same weekend at the younger ages, but be forewarned...it is virtually impossible when they get a little older. I think her first year at U-12 was the last time we did that.... and we had coaches that were very helpful/supportive.

 

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I love well rounded athletes, and well rounded athletes all have one thing in common they play other sports. My middle DD plays on a travel volleyball team as well as softball. 10u is way to early to have a kid choose unless it's because of financial issues. As a coach as long as there is good communication at 10 or even 12u there are no problems. As a parent when conflicts arose we did our best to get her where she needed to be... It's not easy that's for sure. But during Volleyball season, volleyball was 1st when conflicts arose, during softball season, softball is King.

My advice is to just keep the coaches in the loop and do the best you can. Monitor your DD's energy level and attitude to make sure she's not being overwhelmed.


Good luck!

 

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Oh I want to mention, Hutch at Michigan shaped my views on this subject. I've been to a few coaching clinics she's either ran or spoke at, she's mentioned a few times she's getting position specfic players and that athletes are hard to find. She's mentioned personal coaches and everything being so structured as the reason. Kids are not playing outside without adults running thing etc., I think making a 10u or 12u specialize is the natural step in our ultra structures youth sports... Fight the power!!!! Hahaha

 

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I try to be as flexible as possible with multi-sport players. In the fall and winter I will excuse players playing the "in season" sport while we work on softball. When HS players report I expect my players to be working on softball and the "out of season" sport should be secondary. If a girl is playing school or club softball I don't get to worked up about them missing since they are playing/practicing more often then my team is. I will admit it is hard to put some defensive things in when they miss but I don't want to be the type of coach who makes a kid make a decision on 1 sport at 12 years old. I think by 13 or 14 the girls will figure out what they want to do and make that decision for me.

 

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Oh I want to mention, Hutch at Michigan shaped my views on this subject. I've been to a few coaching clinics she's either ran or spoke at, she's mentioned a few times she's getting position specfic players and that athletes are hard to find. She's mentioned personal coaches and everything being so structured as the reason. Kids are not playing outside without adults running thing etc., I think making a 10u or 12u specialize is the natural step in our ultra structures youth sports... Fight the power!!!! Hahaha

I know right? Do any kids go just outside and get up a game anymore? When I was growing up that was all we did in summer.

 

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I had to laugh yesterday when we scrimmaged/practiced with the Buckeye Heat 97 (a mighty fine team, by the way) because we asked the catchers to call balls and strikes and at first they were really reticent. Ball has indeed been for the most part structured for the current players. I would wager that not one girl out there had ever played a pickup game at an elementary school or community park.

 

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My 5th grader is just finishing up her first year of AAU basketball and playing for a travel softball team for the first time. Both of which she absolutely loves.

I was wondering what other people do as far as having overlapping tournaments. Twice this year we had weekends that overlapped.

The first one we had 2 basketball games on Friday night (No softball scheduled)
Saturday and Sunday we spent at Softball as we couldn't get back to any of the basketball games as the times overlapped and we were an hour away.

This last weekend was a little tough.
Friday night 8 PM softball game 45 minutes away.
Saturday 8 AM & 11 AM Softball game 45 minutes away followed by a 6:45 & 8 PM basketball games (we had missed the 11:00 basketball game)
She was very tired Sunday morning, but 9:00 AM basketball game then head to softball which started at 12:30, then 2:00..unfortunately we lost and missed the afternoon basketball game which we lost as well.

My question to those who play 2 sports, do you try to make as many of the games as you can, or do you simply say we have X this weekend and won't be there?

Any advice would be great...and all this doesn't count getting the other child to her softball games!

The coaches that replied all said good things. I don't think there's a cookie cutter answer for you. You'll have to learn from your daughter. A couple years ago I probably would have pushed my daughter to do everything. She lets me know when it's too much.

 

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...Ball has indeed been for the most part structured for the current players. I would wager that not one girl out there had ever played a pickup game at an elementary school or community park.

I thought of that recently too. I'd bet it's true on a much larger scale. Take 2 teams, put them in a park in uniform and take away everyone else. What would they do?

 

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My daughter plays both and it can be difficult and a rule we always say is the sport in season takes precedence. As they get older and play high school softball they cannot practice with their travel team until school ball is over. So now our seasons are high school basketball, then aau basketball when time allows, then high school softball and aau basketball on Sundays then travel fastpitch until August then it's time for basketball again.
Eventually the kids will choose one way or another

 

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AHHHH, those are the days.... I dont miss!!!...It was CRAZY! DD played recball ,travel ball and basketball touney's at the 10u level. The basketball was only into the month of May. One thing parents dont account for is injury , There is no time to heal without letting her teams down for something we didnt account for.... missed 2 weeks of softbal and a week of basksketball . While she was out on doctors orders she was playing hoop down the street hobblin around on a brace ...injury became chronic for about a month. Her legs ached at night she was really hard on her self. I blame myself for letting it get to that point. Her body was never in relax mode she didnt want to miss a game but we had to once in awhile and her absence from that team would come back to me even though we made arrangements with the coach's . If you and your DD can make it work go for it , but make sure theres time in there to relax and be a kid . As she gets older its much harder to do .

 

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I had to laugh yesterday when we scrimmaged/practiced with the Buckeye Heat 97 (a mighty fine team, by the way) because we asked the catchers to call balls and strikes and at first they were really reticent. Ball has indeed been for the most part structured for the current players. I would wager that not one girl out there had ever played a pickup game at an elementary school or community park.

My 10u team plays in a summer league, my pitchers will sit on the bucket and call pitches for their teammates and I have them coach 3rd on occasion giving the batter and base runner signs on their own. It's interesting to say the least.