What to do in the offseason?

The toll of the season is almost over, but what do we do now? For those who have mad it on to nationals, there is still practices and such, but for many the season will be over soon. I want to talk about what e do in the offseason to get our kids prepared for a better regular season. The offseason is more than just a break.

I like to remind families and players that EVERYONE sacrifices their time, money and emotions to their loved one who was participating in sport. Sometime that means grandparents are giving up their own weekend routines to come to games. Most of the time siblings are force to try and behave at games. Finally, parents give up a TON to support their children in sports. Let’s not forget the unpaid coaches who volunteer their time sometimes without even having a child on the team.

For coaches, the offseason is a chance to relax and regroup. Coach should be given the chance to not deal with sports for a while and give time back to their loved ones who may have not seen them as much during the season. Coaches can also take this time to take some online clinics or in person trainings. The offseason is also a great time to try and drop in on the pro or college teams and get some pointers from their staff and players.

For the family of the player, it is time to NOT talk to your player about sports. Let them be a kid/non-athlete for a while. Whether they won the championship or finished last, a few weeks of not talking about sports will do them some good. Remind yourself that your athlete is still a kid and they have tons of interests outside of just their sport, while for some this may NOT be true.

For the athletes, it is time to reflect, release and refocus in that order. Take th first few weeks to reflect on your season and what you were able to accomplish. Release any bad juju, frustrations or energy you had when the season was over because next season people, coaches and even your own ability will change. Refocus on why, what and how you expect this sport to impact your life. Is this a game for fun? Do you even want to pursue this sport in high school and play varsity? Do you want to go to college or eve possibly play pro?

If you want to do more than just play for fun, camps, workouts and one on one training should be in your mix of things to do in the off training. While many would suggest it has to be in your sport, I would say ANY training will help. Getting better in other sports than the one you play will increase your mind power, overall athleticism, problem solving skills and make you a better teammate.

Goals are an important part of the offseason. Make sure your athlete is taking the time to make achievable and scalable goals during the offseason. Making the team, scoring more goals than last year, playing a certain amount of minutes, starting a certain amount of games and other trackable goals are a great way to find success in a season where their record says other wise.

Overall, use the offseason to recharge as a family. Remember your athlete is still a child and make some of those wholesome family memories with them, Remember the siblings deserve a break or treat too for being so good and quiet at the games. Finally, athletes MAKE sure you are showing love, appreciation and gratitude to your support group when your season is over!