Coaching Softball - Hurt vs Injured

Wow. I play soccer and softball and this year I had achllis tendidist. My parents thought it was my knee so they didn't care if I played or not. I pitched and played a full soccer game on it with the flu. I played great in each game but I felt so bad. My coaches were so mad when I didn't tell them I was injured.

I have a neighbor girl that will cry over the littlest things and laugh at nasty spills. As true attention searcher and clutz, I have learned to ignore alot of her crying and whining. This past year at a tournament, she slipped between games goofing around and said she "twisted" her ankle and needed ice. Some of the parents and her teammates were answering her every request. Me and some of the other parents that know her, ignored her. We knew at gametime she would miraculously be ready. She complained she could play, but couldn't stand. She never caught before and I told her that was the only place she could go or sit out.
Well, she caught the best game of our season. I knew she could do it, but we can put her anywhere but the mound and be our best player at that position. Better than most boys I've seen her age. The next day she played first base in our only game. She brought attention to her ankle, but didn't really complain.
The next day I called her mom to check up on her. Come to find out she had a small fracture in her foot and a small sprain. She was in a soft cast for two weeks and doctor's orders to stay off of it for 6 weeks.
Now, by playing she may have hurt it worse than it originally would have been, but this was a true case of the boy who cried wolf. I really feel terrible for ignoring her, but I've seen it all before. I've known her for 6 years and never known her to be that tough. An amazing feat by a girl in her first year playing. Sky is the limit for a girl this gifted and a pain tolerance to boot.

I'm one of those athletes that never wants to come out of the game. For instance the first year i joined my team I got six stiches in my glove hand the week before Nationals. After wrapping it I found out I couldn't catch but could play third base. I played that nationals with six stiches and my pitcher played with a broken finger on her throwing hand. I also played for 6 straight hours in an 102 degrees heat index. My mom finally had to tell my coach to pull me. I hated having to come out of that game because it was the championship game. My pitcher later told me that she knew I was tired because I was giving her the glove before I gave the sign. I always have and always will be that player you cant pull out of the game.

I believe the key point is the nature of the injury and if continuing to play "hurt" could cause permanent damage or not. Sometimes coaches, parents and even players forget that softball is a game. I watched in shock when during a D1 game, the pitcher took a line drive off the forehead yet continued to pitch the game. The pitcher pitched for several more innings with a large bump on her forehead that was clearly visible from the stands. In my opinion, the coach of that athlete was irresponsible. "Win at any cost"?

Thats amazing! One time, I had a cyst on my tailbone that I could barely walk with. I didn't tell my coach, and I played the game. It didn't hurt when I was running on adrenaline. My parents told my coach afterword, and he got upset with me for not telling him about it. LOL

Amazing I wish I had just ONE player with that amount of heart it would make a huge difference in the whole team! That child has been taught well to have a heart for the game and has grown a heart for the game. AMAZING!

I think some of our million dollar (plus) major league ballplayers could learn something from our girls. Had a girl who played for me for years - had 2 ACL surgeries (one on each knee) and still caught all summer. She is now an athletic trainer. This is just one case of persistance/guts.

I certainly think it's laudable that a girl went through 2 tough ACL surgeries and still had the desire to come back and keep playing - that definitely shows her love of the game and persistence. However, we're not talking about a girl who went through surgery and rehab, etc to come back and play another day. This is about actively playing with an injury when it might be in the best interest of the player to get medical attention and cheer from the sidelines instead of staying in the game and risking more injury or future damage.
The notion that the player that does this is so "elite" and in a class all of their own that we honor them when they continue to play with a "do or die" attitude is illogical. Again, if it's a minor injury - then not a big deal. I think most players would want to keep playing and contribute to their team. The competitive spirit is always alive and deeply imbedded in girls who "leave it all on the field" and just don't want to give up. That's where a wise coach needs to be the voice of reason in the cases where the injury could potentially become worse and have long-term consequences. The young girl may not see the "big picture" but let's hope the coach can.

I agree, there is a fine line between hurt and injured. Most players are able to play through a minor scrape or cut from a slide into home, etc and that's reasonable. I'm a health care professional and a mother of a 16u level softball player, so we've seen our share of injuries - a broken bone here or there that kept her from actively playing, but she always showed up to support her team in whatever capacity she could.
HOWEVER, I in no way support the "play at any cost" type of thinking! It's foolish and short-sighted. We seem to "glorify" the football player who gets knocked out on the field, or breaks his nose and insists on returning to play the game. Keep in mind, these guys have the multi-million dollar contracts that your daughter will never see in the realm of professional softball. These are girls who want/need to go on to play another game or tournament in hopes of making their high school team or play in college.
As a coach or parent, we need to ask what is the most PRUDENT thing to do? Send her back in with an "atta girl" slap on the back and marvel at how she's still playing with the injury - especially when she doesn't have the advantage of a sideline professional trainer or orthopedic doctor to evaluate her? Sorry, but sometimes the answer is "No."
What may seem like an injury that is "no big deal" and " I can still play coach" may turn out to have long term consequences.
So, to applaud a player who is determined to play regardless of injury or to put that player in a position of special praise or accolade because of this type of "team sacrifice" is fool hardy. If the injury can truly be regarded as minor, then I think most coaches and parents would find continued play acceptable. However,let's not confuse inexperienced judgement and the exuberance of youth with wise decision making or "having a big heart" for the game. There are plenty of girls out there who love the sport and give it their all, but knowing when is the right time to come out of or stay out of a game requires prudent adult input. Hopefully that coach understands the long term consequences of playing injured and determine the correct course of action.

Great response. Couldn't have said it better... so I won't even try. Thanks for sharing.

My dd dislocated her knee cap and partially torn a tendon during the second game on Saturday. While getting attention in the dugout, her turn to bat came up. She insisted that, instead of giving up the out, she try to get on base and come out for a pinch runner. After icing, rest, and heavy wrapping, she tried to warm-up to pitch the next game. That is when she found out for herself that playing the rest of the tournament was not possible. She did show that even hurt, she was still part of the team. Going to the games, showing support, and giving advice to the younger players on the team.

My dd pitched and batted through the entire season with a partially torn ACL. Had she received the correct diagnosis at the beginning of the season instead of at the end (on the fourth and final opinion, as allowed by our HMO plan), we would not have let her. There is a fine line between character development and willful endangerment. As parents of young athletes engaged in competitive sports, our definition threshold for endangerment may be a bit higher than the population average, but we all know the line is there, no matter how much we enjoy watching our children overcome adversity on the field.

Youthful fearlessness is in part the product of inexperience, a lack of appreciation for long term consequences. Teaching our children when to quit is neither fun nor emotionally rewarding; however, self-preservation involves not just fight, but also flight. Until they develop enough perspective to figure out the right balance for themselves, we need to impress upon some of these born fighters that withdrawing from a tough battle is sometimes necessary in order to win a tougher war.