5 Ways to Support Your Softball Player This December

The holiday season is here—a time of twinkling lights, cozy moments, and… utter chaos. Between shopping, baking, travel, and family gatherings, December can feel like a high-pressure tournament with no seventh-inning stretch. And right in the middle of it all? Your softball player.

She might be juggling winter training, off-season tournaments, recruiting emails, and the dreaded “dead period” anxiety—all while trying to be present for holiday concerts and family photos. It’s a lot.

But here’s the good news: you don’t have to be a softball expert to be her MVP this month. You just need a game plan. Think of yourself as her dugout and support your softball player—the place where she can reset, refuel, and get back in the game feeling supported.

Here are five simple but powerful ways you can be that calm, steady presence for her during the holiday hustle.

1. Protect Her Recovery Time (Yes, That Includes Rest)

It’s tempting to fill every spare minute with drills, lessons, and conditioning—especially when other teams are practicing. But the holidays are marathon season, not a sprint. True athletic growth happens during recovery.

What you can do:

• Schedule “Nothing”: Literally block out time for rest in your family calendar. Encourage her to read, watch a movie, or just nap without guilt.

• Model Balance: If she sees you rushing non-stop, she’ll feel the pressure to perform 24/7. Give yourself permission to slow down, too.

• Hydration Support: All that hot cocoa and holiday treats are fun, but dehydration in cold weather is real. Keep a quality electrolyte stick handy—we love the ones from Arbonne—to help her replenish after winter workouts.

2. Be Her Logistics Coordinator (Not Her Critic)

Between last-minute gift shopping, holiday parties, and potential travel, simply getting her to where she needs to be can feel like a win. Your calm organization can ease so much unseen stress.

What you can do:

• Sync Schedules: Sit down together for 10 minutes each Sunday. Map out the week: practices, training sessions, games, and family events. Visualizing the week reduces surprises.

• Pack a “Winter Dugout Bag”: The car is your command center. Keep an extra blanket, healthy snacks, a thermos with tea or hot cider, and a portable phone charger (this affordable Anker Power Bank from Amazon has been a lifesaver for us).

• Voice Note Check-Ins: Instead of another stressful text chain, send a quick voice note: “Headed your way after practice—want me to grab you a smoothie?” Small gestures = big relief.

3. Shift from Outcome to Effort-Based Praise

Holiday tournaments can be tense. Maybe she’s trying to impress a recruiter or prove herself after a break. It’s easy to focus on the home run or the strikeout. But what she needs most is praise for the effort, especially when the results aren’t there.

What you can do:

• Praise the Process: Instead of “Did you win?” try:

  • “I loved how you backed up your teammate on that play.”

  • “Your energy in the dugout was awesome today.”

  • “I saw how hard you fought in that last at-bat.”

• Celebrate the “Little Wins”: Got enough sleep? Ate a good breakfast? Chose to rest? Those are December victories worth acknowledging.

4. Give the Gift of Presence (Not Just Presents)

It’s easy to think that buying the latest bat or newest glove is the best way to show support. And while gear is great, your calm and present attention is what she’ll remember.

What you can do:

• Watch a Game Together… That She’s Not In: Cue up a classic college World Series game or a movie like A League of Their Own. No analysis, no lessons—just shared enjoyment of the sport.

• Ask Her One Question: Try, “What’s one thing you’re proud of yourself for this semester, outside of softball?” It shows you see the whole person, not just the athlete.

• Cozy Connection: After a cold practice, have her favorite warm drink ready. No questions asked. Just warmth.

5. Keep the Big Picture in Sight

December exhaustion can make everything feel urgent and intense. A bad game feels like a career-ender. A missed workout feels like she’s falling behind. Your job is to gently widen the lens.

What you can do:

• Remind Her Who She Is: “You are a kind sister, a loyal friend, and a hard worker. You are also a softball player—but that is one part of you, not all of you.”

• Model Next-Play Mentality: Had a stressful day of travel or a scheduling mishap? Say out loud: “Okay, that didn’t go as planned. Let’s reset for tomorrow.” Show her how to move on.

• Look Ahead Together: Take a quiet evening to look at the spring schedule together. Talk about which tournaments she’s excited for—not which ones she’s stressed about. Build anticipation, not anxiety.

You’ve Got This

Remember: you don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be present. The holiday season will be over in a flash, and what your player will remember isn’t whether she got every workout in or won every game. She’ll remember the feeling of having you in her dugout—believing in her, no matter what.

Stay warm, stay calm, and play on.