incorporate sprints at beginning or end of practice?

[obbay]

This really has more to do with DDs BB team than softball, but I would think training for any sport would be the same.
DD is having a difficult time and not playing as well as she did before practices started. coach has them running sprints at the beginning of practice-which I thought was odd. All sports I have been involved with as a player or coach the sprints come at the end.

I'm thinking the sprints wear them down so they start off practice somewhat compromised. DD has been getting hurt more often, fortunately the worst was a twisted ankle that just kept her out of the end of practice.
I'm thinking at 10 and 11 y.o., 2 practices a week (1 hr each), practices would do better to focus on skills than conditioning.

Am I wrong?

 

[PAcoach]

Do they loosen up and strech 1st or just start off running sprint?

Kinda hard to have a quality practice when you don't have fresh legs.

 

[obbay]

Yes, they do a little loosening up first, but i don't know if it's anything more than running laps.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

No. You are right. Plus, you can't condition only doing it twice a week. A softball coach here, just got canned for doing essentially the same thing.

 

[chinamigarden]

Running laps and sprints are completely different things, for completely different reasons. Running laps at the beginning of practice is good to warm up muscles, while sprints are used as anaerobic exercise to help build up leg muscles.

Laps (not too many) are good at the beginning of practice. Sprints belong at the end.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

First, I use sprints to tire the kids out and shut them up when I need to talk to them. It's good for that purpose, but then you have to give them time to recover.

Second, softball and baseball players should be running sprints, intervals, and suicides, not jogging or running laps.

Third, static stretching is a waste of time. All you have to do is do something before to get the blood flowing and the muscles warmed up, like a bit of walking or some jumping jacks.

 

[obbay]

Thanks! I thought it was a bit off. As I mentioned in my original post, it is my opinion that 2.5 hours of practice time each week doesn't provide enough time to include conditioning. thank you.

 

[PAcoach]

First, I use sprints to tire the kids out and shut them up when I need to talk to them. It's good for that purpose, but then you have to give them time to recover.

Second, softball and baseball players should be running sprints, intervals, and suicides, not jogging or running laps.

Third, static stretching is a waste of time. All you have to do is do something before to get the blood flowing and the muscles warmed up, like a bit of walking or some jumping jacks.

Not only a waste of time, but does more harm then good.
Dynamic all the way......
I also agree with running sprints and explosive drills, however i also feel there has to be jogging at some point.

 

[Quake Softball]

We sprint at the beginning of practice as part of our warm ups. We do high knees, butt kicks, power skips, back pedals, frankensteins, karokes, stretch and slides and then we finish if "stealing". I give the girls a straight am and the "steal". Where is the problem with that?

 

[PAcoach]

We sprint at the beginning of practice as part of our warm ups. We do high knees, butt kicks, power skips, back pedals, frankensteins, karokes, stretch and slides and then we finish if "stealing". I give the girls a straight am and the "steal". Where is the problem with that?

I think this is how we all basically warm up, but i didn't take his post as this. I took it as the coach had them running sprints and or suicides the lengh of the gym over and over before practice.