<p>I guess put this is the category of “how studying music helps you in other endeavors.”</p>
<p>My daughter pitched her first no-hitter in Softball! When she was in the car on the way home, she said if it wasn’t for all of her practice in preparation for NYSSMA and an Orchestra concert she never would of had the endurance to last the full 7 innings!</p>
<p>And she’s giving up Softball after this year for music. Makes me a little sad, but it’s her choice and she’ll have a great memory and maybe an interesting essay topic! She also went 5/5 hitting!</p>
<p>I told her they’re going to hound you to play Softball next year! She said if they exempt me from Math, I’ll have enough time for Softball and Music! (Ha)</p>
<p>Funny thing is Softball center fielder made all-state this year! She says playing a sport relaxes her so she can practice better. This is one reason why daughter is still sticking with her other sport, V-Ball. I do think real time management skills have developed from doing a
sport and music in addition to all the homework. But trying to do two sports very well is really to much. </p>
<p>So for now yay to Music and Sports! Those many consider EC that develop a lot of life skills!</p>
<p>(And hopefully employment in the future, at least the music part!)</p>
<p>How wonderful to see your child have success and to be able to trace that success to hard work and practice. That is an invaluable life lesson that will stick with her for the rest of her life.</p>
<p>I showed her the replies to my post and she smiled and said to thank everyone!</p>
<p>She added that she never gets nervous pitching because she’s performed solo in front of people. She didn’t overreact when she walked a batter because she knew she could correct herself and keep going, and get back into her previous pitching tempo! I told her before the seasons over I need to take a picture of her in her uniform on the pitching mound holding her oboe, maybe resting on one shoulder with her holding the bell like she stands when she’s going up to bat! (Maybe we’ll use the beginner oboe she couldn’t part with so we don’t damage the better one!) </p>
<p>She also said in her head she always equated music with sports. You need to put in the practice time, learn the proper technique, be competitive, and give it your all. And it cracked me up because when we watched the video of her pitching, she really likes to pitch using a nice even flow like she’s following a metronome! She can get a little wild when her flow is interrupted, but knows how to get it back under control. </p>
<p>She said people at her school sometimes think you’re either “musical” or “sporty”. Now the softball coach is in search of more musicians!</p>
<p>Many parallels between athletics and musicians…a lot of practice time, team work, commitment, having a specific skill set, being coached, high energy/stress/fatigue, not everyone can do it, etc…For my non-musical friends, I always compared being scholarshipped for music (oboe) to being recruited and scholarshipped for a sport’s team. You need the right combination of players for a good team! </p>
<p>Side note…our HS marching band had two varsity football players (twins). They would march at every half-time show in their football uniform. The MB director had them playing tuba, even though their main instruments are flute and clarinet. He wanted everyone to see that being both an athlete and musician is very cool. Everyone knew when they twins were on the football field during half-time. Unfortunately, they stopped playing football because the football coach did not play them enough!</p>
<p>We also saw parallels between music and sports. DD played varsity soccer freshman year before it became impossible to do both music and sports. Instead of prescreens, sports requires film of you playing your position. You need your sports resume instead of your music resume. Not to mention the sheer physical training required. It’s hard but you eventually have to choose.</p>
<p>Congrats on the no - hitter! S1 pitched one in Little League - even at the age of 14 he said that music helped his rhythm in pitching. S1 and S2 swam in high school and continued to do music - they said that music and sports complimented each other, performances=races, practices developed endurance in both. The trick was the balance. Luckily the summers and fall semester were free to take private music lessons. Both are double - majoring in music in college and still doing sports - one seriously and one casually.</p>
<p>Music and sports have helped them immensely so those of you who want to do both, keep it up!</p>
<p>Chlorine can be quite a irritant to the voice, causing dryness and fogginess. Swimming in a chlorinated pool is not a recommended sport or activity for singers. Being physically active is very important for singing, which is an athletic process before it can be refined artistry.</p>
<p>Good advice lorelei on the singing and swimming. Both sons are instrumentalists but they had to use plenty of lip protection when they were in swim season! Had to protect their embouchure’s!</p>