The Growing Divide Between High School and Travel Ball Coaches: Who’s Looking Out for the Players?
High school and travel ball coaches often compete for control over young athletes, leading to miscommunication and overuse injuries. Dr. Jason Zaremski explains why this divide is harming player development and what needs to change to ensure young pitchers are protected from excessive workload and long-term injuries.
INJURY PREVENTION & PERFORMANCE BUILDING STRONGER ATHLETES
Coach Leo Young
3/21/20252 min read
The Growing Divide Between High School and Travel Ball Coaches: Who’s Looking Out for the Players?
In elite baseball, high school and travel ball coaches rarely communicate, leading to excessive throwing workloads and unnecessary injuries. Dr. Jason Zaremski discusses why this adversarial relationship is a problem and how better collaboration could improve player health and development.
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Why High School and Travel Ball Coaches Are at Odds
At the college and professional levels, team trainers and coaches coordinate with summer and offseason programs to track player workload. But at the high school and travel levels, communication is often nonexistent. This creates several problems:
Overuse injuries – Players may be pitching for multiple teams without proper rest.
Conflicting training philosophies – Athletes receive mixed messages about mechanics, workload, and arm care.
Pressure to perform year-round – Players are expected to compete at full intensity in every game, increasing injury risk.
Lack of accountability – With no structured system for monitoring workload, many players push themselves past safe limits.
Dr. Zaremski emphasizes that without communication between coaches, young athletes are left to navigate these challenges alone.
How to Improve Player Safety and Development
To protect young players and promote smarter development, coaches and parents should focus on:
Establishing open communication – High school and travel coaches should collaborate to monitor a player’s throwing workload.
Prioritizing long-term health – Short-term success in a travel tournament isn’t worth a long-term injury.
Educating parents and players – Athletes need to understand the risks of excessive throwing and advocate for their own health.
Implementing structured recovery plans – Players should follow a well-monitored schedule of throwing, recovery, and strength training.
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Learn More About Sore to Soaring
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Disclaimer:
The views shared are those of the guest and do not represent an endorsement by Lupos Initiative Inc., DBA Sore to Soaring. This content is for informational purposes only and not medical or training advice. Always consult a qualified professional before starting any exercise or throwing program. No affiliation or compensation exists between Sore to Soaring and any for-profit entity mentioned.
If you wish to learn more about Dr. Zaremski’s work, visit:UFHealth.org.
#Baseball #SportsMedicine #PitchingInjuries #HighSchoolBaseball #TravelBall #AthleteDevelopment #SoreToSoaring
