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cop311
44 Posts |
 Posted - 05/02/2008 : 00:17:22
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My son will be 10 in June and has played Rec ball since he was 3 (both Fall and Spring) He has always played well and hard because he was always one of the younger players on the team. With the recent age switch in our league he finds himself playing this year with a lot of not only younger but also less skilled players. He is frustrated with the whole rec scene (at least on our team) because practice gets cancelled often, half of his team pays little to no attention to the action on the field despite the best efforts of the coaches. He wants to play Travel Ball so that he will have more fun and get better. In preparation for this he is practicing by himself after school- hitting off of a tee, pitching to our indoor target...
I don't want him to kill himself and tell him to take a day off but he won't. He is pretty determined and sneaky. I guess there are worse things to be sneaking off doing  So long story short-could catching grounders, soft toss machine, tee hitting, pitching practice everyday(at 9 yrs old) be doing more harm than good? |
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12uCoach
357 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2008 : 10:06:58
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As long as HE wants to practice, and there is no physical injury (sore arm, leg, etc.), Then let hime be. Just make sure that his mechanics are correct (That's not an opening Pronate). Trying to throw an adult curve ball during his pitching practice, or not turing over the top hand or stepping out when hitting off the tee makes these home practices useless.
We have always encouraged, or demanded depending on the parent you talk to, that each player do some work on their own. You can tell the ones who work at home and the ones who don't. |
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Pronate
156 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2008 : 11:52:09
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Cop:
This is the current problem with youth baseball. The rec ball programs sound to be in disarray and the kids are playing a bit too much in the travel programs. You should cherish this time with your son, So few kids actually want to train to be a better player. Your son has six critical growth plates in his elbow. At 10 years old, two of the six have not even appeared yet. You only have to watch the fiasco that is the state of pitching with the Atlanta Braves to know that throwing a baseball is not harmless fun.
First, I suggest you find out your sons biological age.
Second, I suggest you do Dr Mike Marshall's First 60 Day Skill Acquisition Program. One, we will find out if he truly wants to train to be the best he can be. You can go to his web site or PM me to obtain your free copy.
Third, he should learn how to swing the bat properly. This is not as critical as throwing properly but he seems like the type of boy that wants to go all in.
If you want to PM me I'll be glad to get together with you and show you and your son how to use the footballs, javelins, wrist weights and iron balls that yoir son will have to use at some point to injury proof his arm. I can also show your son some one handed drills for baseball hitting as well as a bat press drill I am sure you and your son will like.
At this point it looks like the best coach for your son is you.
Either way, thank your lucky stars and have fun,
e |
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billbclk
164 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2008 : 12:41:39
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| I echo what 12uCoach suggest and will add that you be there to watch. Cut down on the number of times he swings or throws and focus on doing correct fundamentals that fit his style of play. Point being just because Hall of Famer Patches Magillicutty used a certian batting stance or pitching style does not mean your slugger should. There are many ways (that are still correct) to hit and throw. |
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SportsDad
293 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2008 : 15:13:58
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| Too much practice...I wonder some times if it's not too little practise...I have a friend that travels the Carribean,Mexico and Central America...He says, those kids play babeball year round and from sun up to sunset...Seems like more and more of the best baseball players are coming from this area. Now I don't know how many of them are injured and we never hear about them, or is it the way they play the game just to play, instead of chasing trophies for the coach? I'm not convinced that you can either practice or "play for fun" too much... |
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cop311
44 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2008 : 22:31:41
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| Thanks for all the responses. Kind of what I was thinking too. I usually am with him when we play. I will hit grounders,line drives,pop ups and such. He never complains of soreness but I just don't want to burn him out. So far he burns me out. |
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Hook Em Horns
105 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2008 : 12:34:13
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"Practice makes Perfect"....not that we can ever attain or maintain perfection, but it doesn't hurt to the most prepared at the right time. Most rec. ball programs are fine for the kids who want to play ball without much pressure. Personally, my son moved on to travverl at 8...partly because of the incestuous nature of rec ball coaches with agendas for their dorky kids to play all star ball and mostly beacuse he almost took several kids heads off from short and third to first who were in "another world" at the time. Then he became hesitant to throw and field as usual. Now, the feared aspect of "Daddy Ball" does rear it's head in Travel, but if your kid has skills, he will find a team and his spot along with hard work and lack of bias. I was just old of a story the other day at Hobgood, where a less talented kid was selected over a an athlete, who hit, pithced and fileded at a compeltely higher level.. and the kid was an established multi-position player. These days, why bother with rec ball when you can start travel at 8-9 and play better competition, get more reps, have the oppotunity to "learn how ot win" and avoid the pitfalls of the coaches with agendas in rec ball. In retrospect, my son is a better player due to being overlooked in rec ball.
thank you coaches. |
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greglomax
1031 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2008 : 23:37:28
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Cop311,
I am a firm believer that more kids leave the game of baseball because the speed of the game has passed them by than kids that get burned out. If your son is enjoying working and getting better, then great. As several have said above, monitor the mechanics, but kids have to be confident in their skills and working on them outside of practice is a great way to do that.
Your experience is common. The more competitive kids do seem to get frustrated with league ball and the casual player, who is as happy counting clover at practice as working on drills. My son quit playing league ball, and went to just travel ball, when he was 8 because of this very reason.
Pronate, you sound like a salesman.  |
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biged
198 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2008 : 08:51:18
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Pronate, How does one determine a child's "Real AGe"??
A comment about practice. A very good high school state champion coach stated that,
"PRACTICE DOESN'T MAKE PERFECT PLAY, PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT PLAY"
If your not practicing for perfection, then u are practicing for imperfection. |
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Pronate
156 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2008 : 23:35:13
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Ed:
A guy with several major League baseball pitching records, a 20 year professional baseball career and a PhD in Kinesiology once told me that "all you parents can do is screw the kids up until they are 16 years old."
Which leads us to "Real" age. By real I assume you mean biological age. In TN recently I watched a 6'4" 200+ lb 14 year old. This young man may be chronologically 14 but I doubt he is biologically 14 years old. Every boy has 6 growth plates in their elbows. They appear at certain biological ages and close at certain bilogical ages. They close on God's timetable not birthdays. Growth plates in the bones have muscles that arise from them. When these growth plates are open it is the weakest part of the bone. The growth plate of the Olecranon, for example, does not even appear until a boy is biologically 11. It closes when a boy is biologically 15. The most important growth plate is the medial epicondyle which is near the inside of the elbow. This growth plate appears at 5 y/o and closes at biologiclly 16. ( Hence the 16 y/o comment above). Five powerful piching muscles arise from the medial epicondyle. Too much stress on growth plates can cause them to prematurely close or can cause the plate to be pulled away from the bone. There are young men playing today with screws in their elbows because they had to reattch the growth plate so it could close.
If we were to take Xrays of both elbows of the 14 year old above I would bet that the growth plate of his Medial Epicobdlye is closed. This means that he is biologically 16 but chronologically 14. About 5% of 14 year olds are two years advanced. Guess where they play. The problem with these kids is that they dont have to learn the skills of baseball to dominate. Eventually the other kids catch up...with skills.
Another issue is the chonological 14 y/o old who is biologically 14 in his non pitching elbow and 16 in his pitching elbow. In other words his Medial Epicondyle and Olecranon Process are closed in his pitching elbow but open in his non pitching elbow. This means too much pitching has caused the young man to lose 2 years of growth in his pitching arm. Once closed, they stay closed. Coaches have to be careful.
The third issue is what happens when the 6% of two years biologically delayed 14 year olds try out for teams against the two years advanced 14 year old. It is basically having a 12 year old competing against a 16 year old. It's off to rec ball for that kid.
While I don't concern myself with issues #1 and #3 , parents should be aware of these growth realities. I concern myself with the issue 2, well intended but ill informed parents who allow their sons to pitch too much. While applied anatomy (mechanics) is critical, you still have to be aware of too much stress no matter the mechanics.
So I recommend that parents start having their son's elbows X Rayed from the A/P and lateral views when they are 10 until they are 16. If anyone has an in with the local medical establishment I would like to talk to them about providing low cost XRays.
e
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cop311
44 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2008 : 01:32:43
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Hook em Horns
Your comment is exactly the situation we are facing this season. He is not able to play up to his level with all but 1 of his teammates so he isn't having much fun. Also, since I am not a head coach or a league board member he was passed up for All Stars this year (even though his coach fought like crazy to have him voted in.)Looking at who made it I see many kids who can play nothing but first base- slow guys who can hit and little else but who surprise, surprise, all have a dad for a coach or dad who is on the board.
I am becoming more and more convinced about switching to travel ball. Any advice on how to find a team?
As far as the practice aspect the mechanics issue is not what I am worried about, mostly just the physical exhaustion of throwing every day. If pitchers must limit innings pitched couldn't fielding practice on top of pitching a few balls everyday do some harm? I just don't know, like I said he never complains and just works harder if I suggest going inside. |
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jscoda
123 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2008 : 08:40:54
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quote:
Originally posted by cop311
Hook em Horns
Your comment is exactly the situation we are facing this season. He is not able to play up to his level with all but 1 of his teammates so he isn't having much fun. Also, since I am not a head coach or a league board member he was passed up for All Stars this year (even though his coach fought like crazy to have him voted in.)Looking at who made it I see many kids who can play nothing but first base- slow guys who can hit and little else but who surprise, surprise, all have a dad for a coach or dad who is on the board.
I am becoming more and more convinced about switching to travel ball. Any advice on how to find a team?
Travel ball also has its politics. Playing time, bench time, positions and batting order. This is why most travel teams "retool" each year by replacing half of the players. Its just not rec ball that has management problems. Find the best coach. His team is easy to spot. The kids are having fun and want to come back. |
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Too much practice?
