Looking for: Your thoughts on offseason sports
March 16, 2010 @ 9:06 a.m. by Joannaby joanna
This is what I’m looking for — I want to know what you think about offseason sports.
For me, this is the time to improve your game, whatever that game might be. When it’s in-season, it’s more about developing chemistry, running the plays correctly, looking to win. There isn’t as much time to develop that shot or that swing.
Here’s another question, though:
Should you take time off after your season? I know there are coaches who tell the athletes to take time off, that it’s important to allow your body to rejuvenate, that it’s important to allow your mental state to be re-invigorated.
Then there’s the other side that thinks you should be playing right now, and should play up until the time the high school season starts again. Some in this group are also proponents of specializing.
So what are your thoughts? Please explain.
maizeparent says:
March 16th, 2010 at 9:25 am
I used to have my kids going all year long. However, the older they get, the more that I realize that they need a break. It can get really ridiculous with all of the sports overlapping. They need some time off to just be kids.
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
Old and Color Blind says:
March 16th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Joanna you really need to change the font color on the comments link to something other than that horrible color you can barely see!!
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
Maybethis says:
March 16th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
When are you doing Baseball and Softball previews?
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
joanna says:
March 16th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
We’ll start having previews on Saturday and running through next week. Keep an eye out for them!
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
onlooker says:
March 16th, 2010 at 11:51 pm
players are made in the offseason, teams are made in the season.
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
Kick says:
March 17th, 2010 at 9:13 am
Well, here’s a thought. It depends on your sport and definition of time off. I’m a two sport athlete: cross country and track. I continue running over the winter and summer. But here’s what I generally do: depending on how beat up I am after the season, I take a week or two “off” before starting my offseason training. By “off,” I don’t mean I sit on my duff- at least everyday. I do alternate exercise- riding a bike, playing pickup soccer or tennis, bodyweight strength exercises, or maybe just hiking. It’s something different, it protects physical and mental burnout. Now, in my sport, conditioning is almost everything. Your physical condition often overcomes talent. In “skill” sports, such as football, basketball, etc., a lot of times, your condition isn’t the most important thing (granted, it is hugely important, but there’s a lot more to it than that). So, that being said, I think that there are stages to time off in between skill sports- stage one- no conditioning, no sport specific stuff, just relax, have fun. Stage two- general conditioning. Stage three- sport specific. It protects from mental, and physical burnout.
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
bbfan says:
March 17th, 2010 at 10:09 am
After being involved with the college recruiting process with two sons and dozens of high school atheltes that I have coached, their is one thing that was consistent with every college coach I have spoken to. College coaches want multi-sport athletes.
Taking time off from a specific sport allows your mind and body to recuperate.
Specialization does nothing except create a situation where an athlete may “burn-out” on that sport. Athletes should work on their sports to some extent year round, but not to the point that they quit all other sports.
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
That's Life says:
March 17th, 2010 at 10:23 am
My child only plays one sport and will play at the Junior College level and possibly beyond. A few college coaches have asked whether he plays other sports, but not one has seemed disapointed that he didn’t. There is time off between seasons, but he always chooses to work out on his own during his off time. I think that’s the key, does the athlete choose to specialize or play multi-sports or does the parent/coach “encourage” them one way or another. I would have loved watching my child play multi-sports but that’s not what he wanted to do.
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
bbfan says:
March 17th, 2010 at 10:42 am
I agree an athlete should not feel pressured to participate in a sport they do not enjoy. If a kid only enjoys basketball and wants to play year round, there is nothing wrong with that.
What is a problem is a kid feeling pressured to specilize because they are being told they need to do that to play at the college level. That is is simply not true and I see it happening with more and more kids.
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
bulldogpride says:
March 18th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Make sure that you find out who is not playing for Ark City anymore before you do your 5A review. Seems there is at lesat one player who has gotten too big for her britches and has decided h.s. ball is below her. Or it could be her parents. Or it could be her summer ball coach. Who knows….
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
playsomeD says:
March 19th, 2010 at 7:55 pm
If a kid wants to play basketball 12 months a year, then more power to them. Maybe they only like basketball! And does someone really think a college basketball coach wants “multi sport” basketball players, and not the basketball player that only plays basketball? Yeah, Ok. A college basketball coach could care less if a kid was good at football or tennis. Only if the kid is good at basketball. There are a lot of kids in the city league right now that are only playing basketball. And just watch as they will be going to college to play basketball before long. I can hear college basketball coaches now saying “damn, that kid is a heck of a basketball player that I think could really help our program, IF ONLY he had played soccer in high school as well as basketball”! That just makes no sense.
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
perhaps says:
March 20th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Bulldogpride: It could also be she is tired from taking crap from seniors that think they should be playing ahead of her because they are seniors and are too lazy to move three feet to field a ground ball. However, there are four returning starters for the Bulldogs who are not playing this year. Perhaps it goes a little deeper. Ark City still has a pitcher, a catcher, and an infielder that think they are hot stuff. They should be able to win with that.
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
Maybethis says:
March 20th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Glad not to be in AC
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
bulldogpride says:
March 20th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
perhaps – from what I hear it’s the players parents, well basically one and “perhaps” her summer coach are trying to run the AC team. It is good to see the coach step in and decide she isn’t going to put up with it. Parents get too involved and need to stay back and let their kids fight their own battles.
[REPORT A VIOLATION]
hawkdad says:
March 20th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
My boys continue wrestling in USAW kids wrestling after the school season is over. They do folk style until state (3/27-28) then it’s freestyle and greco. The only way you get better at a sport is to do it as often as possible. I don’t want them to burn out though, so when they say the season is over, it’s over…
They do lift year round and Pitt State is in June. My oldest will be a senior and he is rehabbing his knee with hopes of going to Pitt State again this year. He should be ready to start on the o line this year.
[REPORT A VIOLATION]