The season is over, many weekends spent in various hotels around the country for your child’s select volleyball team.  Great season!  Now here are the following options you consider for your child:

1. Play soccer; no volleyball

2. No activity whatsoever

3. No soccer; training for volleyball

4. No soccer; volleyball camps, volleyball training, volleyball practices with the team

First choice, love it!  Let the volleyball parts (particularly shoulder from swinger and knees from jumping and landing on hard surfaces) heal up.  It is suggested that every athlete refrain from their PRIMARY SPORT AT LEAST 3 MONTHS IN A ROW OUT OF THE YEAR!!!  This allows all the broken get fixed and strong again. 

Second option, wouldn’t hurt to take a rest but keep your child active.  Have year round participation isn’t bad it just has to have some ebb and flow.  An intense volleyball season followed by nothing, as opposed to non-competitive basketball or a recreational softball league, is not the best but again….a little rest couldn’t hurt.

#3 Not liking this.  End volleyball and are preparing for more volleyball.  NOT LETTING THOSE PARTS HEAL UP.  BAD IDEA!!!  If there are any lingering injuries they will not heal and be carried into the next season. 

The Finale………NO, NO, NO, NO!!!!!!  6-9 months of volleyball followed by more volleyball.  This will break your child into a pile damaged parts within a few years.  When you do something 12 months a year without a break it is called A JOB! 

Whatever sport you child plays do not follow the pattern of the #4.