BURNOUT BLUES The Truth About Year-Round Baseball
Many parents believe they are giving their children a great opportunity by enrolling them in year-round baseball programs. They assume that having their player compete in as many games as
possible will polish their skills and improve their chances of playing in college and beyond. Sadly, the opposite is usually true. As youth baseball becomes more competitive, it is easy to confuse performance with development. In reality, playing in a lot of games
A comparable example is raising a young musician. Few parents would ask a talented young singer or instrumentalist to perform in recitals or concerts year-round. It would be far better for that child to spend time practicing. Unfortunately, a growing number of coaches who profit from year-round youth baseball programs continue to promote them to parents. It is certainly possible to play baseball year-round and continue to develop your game, but I rarely see an athlete under 16 years of age who could pull that off. Human beings, and teenagers in particular, crave change and variety to stay fresh and maintain a sense of purpose. A growing number of pro sports’ greatest stars played different sports in high school, including the NFL’s Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, and Russell Wilson, who all played baseball and football. That doesn’t mean your child shouldn’t enjoy playing catch all 12 months of the year! But allowing them to try a variety of sports promises a better long-term outcome.
seldom produces a superior player. Competition must be mixed with development, which entails purposeful, intense practice. Development also equips a player to build the physical, mental, and emotional balance required to stick with baseball through the inevitable ups and downs and find meaning in the sport. This is different from playing a lot of games. Playing in a great number of games often has less impact on an athlete’s skill than many would hope. It is comparable to taking a test or quiz in school. It can serve as a yardstick of progress, but it can also lead to burnout and stagnation.
UPCOMING RANCH EVENTS
A Blast From the Past: A Look at Baseball History
ELITE PITCHERS BOOT CAMPS: • MAY 25–27 (SAT-MON) • JUNE 7–9 (FRI-SUN) • JUNE 21–23 (FRI-SUN) • JULY 5–7 (FRI-SUN)
LOU GEHRIG’S ASTONISHING RECORD
• JULY 19–21 (FRI-SUN) • AUG. 2–4 (FRI-SUN) • AUG. 31–SEPT. 2 (SAT-MON)
On June 2, 1925, Yankee first baseman Wally Pipp complained about what would become the most famous headache in baseball history. Pipp told the Yankees’ manager he needed to sit out. That opening was all 21-year-old Lou Gehrig needed to move into the starting lineup — for the next 2,130 games! As the nation celebrates Lou Gehrig Day on June 2, it is worth noting that Gehrig’s record for the most consecutive games played stood until Cal Ripken Jr. broke it in 1995. Known for his power-hitting and speed, the Iron Horse is one of three players, along with Roberto Clemente and Jackie Robinson, to have days on the calendar reserved in their honor. “Lou was the most valuable player the Yankees ever had because he was the prime source of their greatest asset — an implicit confidence in themselves and every man on the club,” wrote a sportswriter of that era. As the nation remembers Gehrig, Major League Baseball aims to raise awareness of the need to fight ALS, the disease that ended Gehrig’s life in 1941. He was only 37 years old.
SUMMER INTENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM • BEGINS MAY 28 & RUNS THROUGH AUG. 8
WWW.TEXASBASEBALLRANCH.COM/EVENTS
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