Softball Coaching Tips - In Season Rest

Guest post by Ken Krause, Life in the Fastpitch Lane blog

Where I live the rain has been brutal this Spring season. I believe it's been that way in other parts of the country as well.

What that's meant has been cancellation of some games that might be considered "friendlies" and rescheduling of others that have to be played — such as conference games. Of course, most high school teams try to fit in as many games as they can already, so when you have to start rescheduling the schedule can get pretty jam-packed.

For many teams, that now means playing single games Monday-Friday, plus double headers on Saturday. That's an awful lot of softball — especially for the #1 pitcher on a team without a solid #2.

Of course, as the rain continues even the rescheduled games get postponed again. And that's the time that smart coaches will take the gift and let their players get a little recovery time from the nagging aches and pains that come with the softball season.

I'm not talking about cancelling practice. Far from it. You have to keep going to stay sharp. (If you haven't been sharp, a little extra practice time is the opportunity to hit the reset button and try to get there.) But you also have to take a practical look at things.

Let's say that #1 pitcher has been throwing a lot of inning over the past couple of weeks. Even pitchers with good mechanics get tired or sore after awhile — it's called a repetitive motion injury. If that's happening, the smart thing to do is give her the day off from pitching. Let her rest the arm, and maybe visit the trainer for a little treatment. If her legs are fine, have her hop on the bike or treadmill, or do a pitcher-specific workout. Anything that gives the arm a break.

What about a team filled with kids with sore arms from overhand throwing? Again, it might be time to shut that down for a day. Instead, have field balls and toss them aside, or into a bucket. They can still get plenty of work without straining their arms even more.

A day off (with a possible visit to the trainer) is also just the thing for sore ankles and knees, slight hamstring strains and various other ailments. With a little creativity you can turn that negative into a positive and work on something you wouldn't ordinarily do.

I've done that in lessons before. A player comes in with a sore knee or a strained calf — nothing she can't walk on, but enough that it would hurt to go all out. Instead of just cancelling the lesson or putting her through agony, we talk about what she can do comfortably and devise the lesson from there. There's nothing wrong with standing in one place and working on posture and spins for a half hour, or working on leg drive without using the shoulders and arms if that's where the issue is.

Over the course of a season players develop all sorts of minor but nagging injuries. When Mother Nature forces a break on you don't take it for granted. Use that time to help your players get a little healthier. That way, when you get down to where you have to play continously, or better yet when it's playoff time, your team might just be in a better position than your opponents to play at peak levels.

There's no need to try to prove how tough you are as a coach by making players practice through the pain. And you should be able to recognize the ones who are truly hurting from the lazy ones, so don't use that as an excuse. A little in-season rest and recuperation could be just what the doctor ordered — without having to wait for the doctor to order it.

Anyway, that's the way I see it.

What questions does this raise for you?