Travel Practice vs. HS Summer League

[TR_Out]

Ready to open the flood gates? I expect some strong feelings on both sides of this one. While I would LOVE to practice my 16U travel team on Wednesdays, field availability and several other factors force us to practice on Tuesdays. There are only four days in-between tournament games (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). Tuesday is just as much "in the middle" as Wednesday. So... we can get fields on Tuesday, we practice Tuesday. However, SOME high school coaches have decided to have a "summer league" during TRAVEL SEASON and have scheduled those games on Tuesdays! Now, players have to choose travel practice or their HS League games (which really are little more than scrimmages).

In Ohio, and this year, there are four weeks of "no contact" for the HS coaches (Aug 8-Sept 5) per OHSAA. The "travel season" is approximately two months long for the high-school aged players, June and July. That means there are 9 months that HS coaches COULD call theirs if they leave the travel months and the no contact period alone. 9 MONTHS!!!! Give us travel coaches June and July... PLEASE!

Last thought. While the best of the best high school pitchers are used to throwing 80 to 120 pitches per day up to 5 (maybe even 6) days per week for 6 weeks during the school season, they don't need to throw upwards of 500 pitches per weekend, 100 or so with their pitching coach, and ANOTHER 80-120 with their HS team in one week just so the HS coach can see next years' freshmen in June. JMHO.

Ready...
Set...
Release the Hounds!

 

[wvanalmsick]

Live pitching vs. the pitching machine and tee???

Playing defense where the coach tells you before each hit "runner on first, one out" or playing defense where you have to figure it out on your own???

IMHO, any live play is better than none no matter what level of competition.

Travel players in the past have dealt with this and persevered.

 

[daboss]

This is a result of the OHSAA giving in and allowing more contact. There are pitfalls to almost every decision. This arguement won out and this is what happens. Now the kids and families are torn about their commitment and loyalty. Please don't fault them for deciding. It won't be easy. Find a way to work around it for the sake of the kids' sanity. Just my opinion.....

 

[fastjay]

I implemented a new rule exactly because of this. I was tired of 5 girls showing for practice so I decided that if you missed the practice before a tournament you would not start the first tournament game. We will see how it works but I can tell u I had everyone present at practice, which is unusual...

 

[wvanalmsick]

I implemented a new rule exactly because of this. I was tired of 5 girls showing for practice so I decided that if you missed the practice before a tournament you would not start the first tournament game. We will see how it works but I can tell u I had everyone present at practice, which is unusual...

Have you ever thought of why the OHSAA rules prohibit more than 4 girls from one school on a team??? So the HS coach cannot say "If you don't play for my team, you will not play HS ball". What you are doing is the same as that HS coach.

I know that HS coaches are not allowed to tell the girls that they have to attend practices outside of the season but....the official end of HS Coaching and Softball season is June 11th. If a HS coach wanted to be a real prick, he/she could have said that no one is released until June 11th. Then what would you do?

It won't take these girls long to figure out, "Let me see, not start the first game of a tournament or not get the chance at Varsity next year". What is your back-up plan when you don't have enough players to start your first tournament game? Are you willing to forfeit that game to stand on your "my way or else" principal? If HS coaches/OHSAA gets word that the student-athletes are being threatened to attend travel ball practices, then OHSAA will take steps to end the threatening.

 

[CoachB25]

TR, my dd has her TB practices on Mondays. Why? She has a list of things that the players need to work on from the tournaments and so, they have a very structured, precised and timed practice. In this way, she is able to help her team improve BUT also gives them Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and sometimes Friday off. The parents appreciate that and have bought into the Monday practice schedule. Of course it is important for her to keep to her practice plan and not run over. The parents want to get home.

BTW, her pitchers don't throw on Mondays. They do play defense in various drills. Her catchers rotate in with the pitching lessons and catch the pitchers in lessons. Most of her pitchers go to lessons every two weeks and not weekly.

 

[wow]

This HS/travel debate is getting sideways. Its fairly clear, there are a ton of things a HS coach can do interrupt the travel season, but why? Its about the kids right? Let the HS be the HS season. Simple. Then once its over let the kids practice, unabated, with their travel teams. OSHAA has created a divide between the two. This is what happens when created rules try to regulate what the kids can and can not do. What amazing is other states PA, KY, GA don't have these silly rules like OH and they seem to manage. How about this... Let the kids play. Its fairly clear the best HS teams are a majority, if not all travel kids anyways. Don't worry about HS softball. Its not HS football. Kids are not recruited from HS softball, that's a fact. Oh wait- I am sure a big ten coach will skip a in season game to see a HS game.. NOT. Travel is the priority for that. The HS experience is for mental and social development. The practice priority, once HS ends, is travel.

 

[moodydog]

OHSAA can not do a thing to travel ball teams for doing this.