The location, frequency and duration of practices for each team will be set by the Head Coaches of each age division following the end of their team season(s) in May.  A majority of our pre-season (Sept - Nov; Jan - Feb.) clinics are held at Lima Sr. Softball field, Lima Sr. Football Field, Lima Sr Gym, Lima Sr. Workout or Wrestling room or, our secret indoor facility. They are orchestrated by Coach Rob and are usually specific by position(s) and gradual, yet planned, over the corse of months. Rome was not built in a day.

 

Our all skills clinics begin In September.  Clinics, initially, are usually small groups focused by either longevity in the program, position or skill acquisition needed (P/C, Middies, Corners, Outies, Hitting, lifting, conditioning). We will not start to throw until January, December for Pitchers.  We rest are arms in the fall. We don't engage in fall ball leagues or playing games. There are many reasons for this.  However, if you are being recruited, you will throw right away in the fall b/c you will be attending camps throughout the fall and early winter. Your individualized training regime will differ from the other students in our organization after talking with the staff and plotting a coarse that is individualized to you.  In general, however, We use a pyramidal approach to off-season training. The base is the individual (softball IQ, strength, agility, offensive prowess), then by position (defensive skill sets specific to the position), then by semi/small group, then group then team.  We will spend a majority of our Sept - Nov on individual work and the weight room should be your best friend. December is a time to lift and not pick up a ball, at all. We begin training again the first week of January.   

 

All student-athletes will need to follow OHSAA or IHSA rules.  In Ohio, any contact between teams and Havoc coach(s) cease February 17th. They will pick up immediately after the completion of their middle school or high school season in May.  

Our training schedule could be given via text, emailed, Teamsnap or video to all parents and students. Parents, make sure that you are registered with Teamsnap and on a text chain so you get our information. Rarely will Coach Rob post the clinic schedule on our FB/INST page because of the sheer number of students that will attend that are not Havoc players.

 

​Almost all of our student-athletes play 2 sports, if not 3. We work with the home/local schools of the student-athletes to make sure that they participate in each sport as well as get rest.  We don't put families in position where they have to choose b/t travel and their home school. The home school always wins in our eyes. We are an organization that believes in rest, at least 1 if not 2 days a week. If we have a clinic day, say on a Sunday, and that is your only day off, we don't want you at the clinic. You need to sleep in and get the rest you need.  Coach Rob has been all over the country, coached a lot of athletes and is lucky to be mentored by some of the best coaches in the game.  Rest is crucial.  

 

That being said, we are a very competitive low A, high B program and compete against the best teams in three states.  To stay competitive, we need off-season skill work.  You as a player and family need to figure out how you make that happen and still get rest. Some of our best players didn't swing at bat or pick up a ball from August - Jan.  They are playing in college.  Some are working to acquire skills once they enter our organization so they have to use the fall and winter to balance basic skill fundaments and  growth while playing another sport. It's doable and not over-taxing.  Because so many of families have multiple kids and they play multiple sports, we train in the fall and winter and don't participate in leagues or games. This alleviates quite a bit of familial stress.  We want our families and students to enjoy the sports they are in (volleyball, soccer, wrestling, power lifting, basketball, etc.) and we will attend and cheer on those athletes while they play those sports. We have found that our students work ethic is such that they do not lose out and, we have found, our families and players are happier, healthier, more athletic and coachable b/c they play other sports and don't solely focus on softball. They catch up and if you can't believe it, we have dozens of trophies, rings, All-Americans, All-state, All region players to prove it.  This way of training is not for everyone. As Coach Molly states, "Trust yourself and the process," For us, however, it has proven beneficial. Every single student-athlete that wants to use softball to better their chance at gaining entrance to a University of there choice is playing in college at all levels.  Plus, given the learning environment we set, our student-athletes and families, often times from rival schools, have become life-long friends. 

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