Evaluation of Strength and Conditioning Changes During a Division II Collegiate Softball Season

Female participation in athletics, including intercollegiate athletic participation, has grown greatly in a variety of sports throughout the past two decades (Marques et al., 2008). With this higher level of participation has come an increase in supervised strength and conditioning programs and a goal of preparing female student-athletes to perform at their maximal potential throughout the course of a competitive season. As strength and conditioning coaches work to help the athletes improve in power, explosiveness, endurance and strength, they must also be aware of the unique goals and circumstances particular to specific sports (Nimphius et al., 2010). Researchers have examined seasonal changes in fitness parameters of female collegiate athletes competing in the sports such as soccer (Miller et al., 2007), field hockey (Astorino et al., 2004), and volleyball (Marques et al., 2008). Terbizan et al. (2006) evaluated the effects of a 16-week pre-season conditioning program for master’s level (age 40.6 ± 6.96 yrs) softball players. Women in this study realized significant increases in anaerobic power, body composition, grip strength, and muscular strength measures, but it was not determined whether these changes were maintained through the duration of the competitive season. Studies looking at the physiological changes over the course of an entire collegiate softball season were not found. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in fitness parameters over the course of Division II collegiate softball from the initiation of off-season practice to the conclusion of post-season championship play. The specific aim was to determine whether the strength and conditioning training program was sufficient to maintain fitness through completion of the competitive season. We hypothesized that pre-season to mid-season testing would show increased anaerobic capacity, upper body power, lower body power, speed and agility due to increased training emphasis on strength and explosive power. From mid- to post-season, it was hypothesized that decreased strength training sessions due to increased competition dates would result in decreased upper and lower body power. It was also hypothesized that competition and strength training would allow anaerobic capacity, throwing velocity, speed and agility to maintain values and remain consistent through postseason play. Finally, it was hypothesized that the student-athletes would experience slight declines in maximal oxygen consumption over all training periods due to the anaerobic nature of the sport and the lack of an aerobic training component