How much is too much?

A big question to tackle, and one I am 100% sure I do not have the answer to!!!!!

How much is too much? How much practise should a team have? How long should each practise be? How can you tell when they are too tired? Should the team focus on being disciplined, or should you let it go because the boys need "down time"?

My view on all of the above is that there is balance to be achieved somewhere, somehow......the complications begin when everyone has a different opinion as to where this fine balance is! I have observed that not only is there typically a male/female difference of opinion, but also each coach has their own take on it too, depending on their personality or focus.....

MOMS tend to lean more on the side that : Too much practise is making the kids tired and grumpy or that too much baseball is taking a toll on other family activities or plans. Also, Mommys tend to have issues when practise takes place during a usual meal time or makes kids late to bed!

DADS.......the time doesn't seem to matter - it's all baseball! IS there such a thing as too much baseball??!!

COACHES : have many opinions, all of which make a valied points......you can practise, practise, practise - this is what perfects the skills you are trying to teach. You can shake it up - fun mixed with hard-core training - all is good, builds team morale, chemistry AND works on skills. You can spend many long hours going over and over things.....then on game day, it's shorter than a practise, and actually seems easier! But then on the flip side, if you have practised hard all week, are the team too tired to PLAY. Short practise might be better than NO practise.....but a day of rest is also valuable, to recharge those batteries.

ALSO TO CONSIDER: Different kids, different things......there are those with unlimited energy - they are like some kind of baseball-energizer-bunny - they could run the bases all night, catch fly balls for eternity and still want to go swimming afterwards.......and then there are those who have played hard all day, and by the time practise time rolls around they just get that blank-stare whenever anyone tries to talk for more than five words at a time. Different personalities and maturity levels seem to have a capacity for different amounts of information and "training"......there are some who just keep on absorbing everything the coaches are teaching, and are just hungry for more always......then there are those who's concentration span just doesn't DO THAT, and they need small "bites", short phrases, and drills that don't last for too long or they are lost.

One thing that I believe is of key importnace is recognising each team-member as a unique individual. The nature of team-work IS to accept each one's talent as essential, but also to maximize each person's potential. Basically, short or long attention span, the different maturity and endurance levels, and the abilities to grasp what is being taught - it all goes into the baseball-team melting pot......the coaches and players do their best, the best way they know how, and on game day, we all strive for the best possible results!

What I'm trying to bring out in this post is this : There simply is no easy answer to the question put forth - what works for one, may not work for another. One coach may disagree with another coach. Some families may have comitments other than baseball that take presidence over practise time. Basically, I think it is the responsibility of everyone involved to smply do their best. As far as is possible, follow your coach's schedule, since they are unltimately the boss. If something is not working for you, advocate for your child in the best most positive way. Above all, just remember - many opinions, many personalities, balance SOMEWHERE!