Travel team practice during high school

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You want to know why they do it?...Because these kids would have no life outside softball and as hard as it is for some of you hard heads to understand...it it not good on your daughters body to not have time to rest and recuperate!!

Exactly! Their education should come first, and they couldnt keep up with studies practicing for 2 teams at once.

 

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Studies? I'm going to assume that my daughter is going to get a full ride and some booster will fix the issues of "grades" for her. From there it's off to a pro softball career and mega-endorsements.

 

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Have to agree with Shane on this. We all need to live by the rules, like them or not ... and there are some reasons for them. I don't know what's best but I do know that my daughter loved both high school and travel ball ... but she didn't and couldn't have done both at the same time. And she has had a pretty good college career as well.

 

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Come on people! There's no need to puff out your chests and get into a --ssing match over this topic. As travel coaches, we should accept the family's decision to participate in school softball and the girls' choice to play ball with friends and classmates. Do the right thing and respect their choices and work with them so they can enjoy the game.

OHSAA and individual schools have policies set in stone they don't want the girls doing both at the same time. Let the girls have a school season and do our thing during the summer and off seasons.

For the rest that want a change, fight for the change of OHSAA policy but leave the kids out of the equation. Until then, accept things and quit tempting the families. Wait for their season to finish. It's only a few months long.

 

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Klump-Next time put my entire quote on, not part of it. If you ask the girls at Greenville they will tell you its all about a state title.
By the way, I am sure you are the end all of knowing when it comes to tb so I will bow down to your infinite and all seeing knowledge. Kind of like the Great Karmak on the tonight show huh.:lmao:

Sorry, can't do it. I only use the parts that are relevant to what's being discussed or it gets too long to read.

I had no idea I was the end all of knowing when it comes to travel ball, but if you insist..... I'm sorry, I didn't know I would be bestowed with this honor, I don't have a speech prepared..... :lmao::lmao::lmao:

Thanks Dale, I'm just raking them in!!! :yahoo:

 

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Excellent post daboss ... as per usual!

 

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Come on people! There's no need to puff out your chests and get into a --ssing match over this topic. As travel coaches, we should accept the family's decision to participate in school softball and the girls' choice to play ball with friends and classmates. Do the right thing and respect their choices and work with them so they can enjoy the game.

OHSAA and individual schools have policies set in stone they don't want the girls doing both at the same time. Let the girls have a school season and do our thing during the summer and off seasons.

For the rest that want a change, fight for the change of OHSAA policy but leave the kids out of the equation. Until then, accept things and quit tempting the families. Wait for their season to finish. It's only a few months long.

Coach I don't think anyone is saying not to play HS or to disregard the rules, at least I am not. What my point has been for the last 15 years is that the OHSSA should not be allowed to tell me what my son/daughter is allowed to do during her free time because she/he is an athlete. The school boards do not invade in other extra-curriculars (sp). In fact those teachers/advisors suggest it.

Is it a stupid arguement to wage every year though. It will never change in Ohio. I just wonder how many other states are so restrictive.

 

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Just to clarify, my posts were aimed at two points: 1) a rule could be written that would allow a player to practice with her team if there were no conflict with HS events (which could include HS practices) and 2) I'm frankly not sure whether such a rule would put too much pressure on the player to devote time to softball that would better be put on other things such as studies or other extra-curricular events. That's where Mark's point comes in: who should decide how any "extra" time is spent.

When our DD played HS softball, she also played in the performance band (which actually did create conflicts with softball) and participated in numerous student clubs/associations. Mark's point is whether our DD should have decided when the additional time created by the activities not related to HS softball were too much or whether the HS or an affiliated school association should have made that call.

And I frankly don't have an answer to that.

But please note that no one is saying a HS student should be released from the time requirements of HS ball to participate in TB events. And further note that the hardest question is whether a TB coach should be allowed to put pressure on the player to use her free time to become more of a softball player than for other pursuits.

I am frankly very ambivalent on this issue. But Daboss, as much as I respect your opinions, I don't think this is about chest pumping. I think it is about whether a talented player and her family should be able to choose how much time to devote to softball AND about whether that choice is really a matter of free will if the travel ball coach uses a rule that allows some practice time with the travel ball team to coerce additional softball time during the HS season.

 

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I really believe that this is about overuse and injury. If your daughter plays softball and performs in a play that's not going to result in that sport's specific overuse situation. Therefore I don't think they are trying to control what you do, they are trying to control overuse.

My opinion. Which in my house is worth nothing. And slightly less here.

 

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Mark and Carol ... I get your points and I do think a rule like Carol suggests above probably would be better and certainly worth a try. There are a lot of laws/rules out there about what we as parents need to do with our kids ... sending them to school, putting them in car seats when they are small, not endangering them in various ways, etc. ... all in the name of protecting them physically and socially.

The OHSAA rule probably intends that as well, but that is admittedly more of a stretch. I'm with daboss on the point that if someone doesn't like a rule/law, then they should try to champion a change. Meanwhile, we need to live with them and not assume the people who made the rules are clueless or power-hungry.

 

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I agree with Shayne, it's ridiculous to me this is even an issue. Softball 6 days a week is enough.

 

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Here's the largest reason why I have an issue with this rule.

Key High School has 2 strong travel ball pitchers 1 is a senior who plays for the nationally ranked Beverly Stars and pitcher 2 , who is a sophomore, plays for a highly ranked Ohio Ding-bats. The HS coach only warms up the senior because for the past three years. He rode her to 2 straight final fours while the sophomore doesn't do squat. The season starts and he continues to ride senior while pitcher 2 does not get any type of work in. Why? Because OHSAA rules states she can't as an individual as quoted earlier--

Non-Interscholastic Participation
4.1) A member of an interscholastic softball squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage,
preview or regular season/tournament game as a substitute or starter) sponsored
by the Board of Education or other governing board shall not participate in a
non-interscholastic program (tryouts, practice or contest) as an individual or as a
member of a team in the sport of softball during the school?s season


As the season rolls on, she hasn't pitched now for 4 weeks. Is that fair to her travel team who is relying on her to get to Nationals? Is that fair to her HS team if ace pitcher gets hurt and she is thrusted on the rubber with no work because of that stupid OHSAA regulation.

I'm sorry, but that is flat out wrong and we know of high schools here in Ohio who do this type of thing anyway.

 

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As the season rolls on, she hasn't pitched now for 4 weeks.

Not saying I disagree and don't mean to split hairs. But in this specific case I believe she IS allowed to attend pitching lessons as often as she wants. Might not be a substitute for taking the mound in a game situation, of course.

I bring this up more specifically because somebody mentioned something about their dd not being able to hit off of a tee in the basement. I think that would technically be allowed under 7.3 of the general sports regulations covering individual instruction as would pitching lessons.

http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/rglts/GenSportsReg11-12.pdf

I'm not trying to stir the pot, but I hope folks aren't getting the impression that a kid can't work on their skills outside of their HS practice.

If I'm wrong, somebody let me know.

 

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Brownsfan ... I suppose that can happen, but its hard for me to fathom that the second strong travel ball pitcher isn't going to be getting some work in ... pitching to her strong (final four) team in practices, going down to work in a JV game here or there, and working some on her own even if she's not getting enough time in during practices and games. I don't know any truly strong pitchers who aren't going to find some time to get their throwing in.

As for the coach, most ones are going to find some time to get that 2nd pitcher some work in games for the very reason you mention (if #1 goes down) and/or against weaker teams or in blowouts to rest #1 to keep her fresh for big games. Is the rule stupid or the coach stupid?

Are you saying that if #2 could practice with her travel team during high school season, that she would actually be getting in game situations there?

 

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Wave,

Obviously you dont care much for travel ball, You also need to realize you live in one of the few areas that fanatically get behind your one h.s. softball team, which is great the majority of areas dont. Most communities dont shut down the 3 businesses in town when theres a softball game. Im not knocking it, but your view naturally will be slanted more to the school side.
High school ball does have its merits, which has been debated on here about this time every year. BUT...... Outside greenville, travel ball is in fact held in a little higher regard.

Hitter,

I know I come off a little tough but if you look at my posts you will see my dd had played tb since she was 10 and it was a great expeience for her but it was nothing more than a tool to get ready for high school ball. I truly believe that tb made her a better player but I think that a lot of parents have lost sight of what is important here-ACADEMICS. Most kids stand a much better chance of getting scholarship money for academics than they do for sports.

You and many others have made a great point, that is if a kid is going to school and practice 5 days a week plus Saturday practices and maybe working a job also(like my son and daughter), when is enough.

As far as the comments that all the tough competition is at the tb level, get real people. Have you seen how many so called select and gold level teams there are today, there are so many teams that there is not enough talent to go around any more which has made many of these tb teams no better than a lot of JV teams today.

 

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Now thats Funny

 

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Hitter,

I know I come off a little tough but if you look at my posts you will see my dd had played tb since she was 10 and it was a great expeience for her but it was nothing more than a tool to get ready for high school ball. I truly believe that tb made her a better player but I think that a lot of parents have lost sight of what is important here-ACADEMICS. Most kids stand a much better chance of getting scholarship money for academics than they do for sports.

You and many others have made a great point, that is if a kid is going to school and practice 5 days a week plus Saturday practices and maybe working a job also(like my son and daughter), when is enough.

As far as the comments that all the tough competition is at the tb level, get real people. Have you seen how many so called select and gold level teams there are today, there are so many teams that there is not enough talent to go around any more which has made many of these tb teams no better than a lot of JV teams today.[/QUOTE]

You cant be serious.

 

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As far as the comments that all the tough competition is at the tb level, get real people. Have you seen how many so called select and gold level teams there are today, there are so many teams that there is not enough talent to go around any more which has made many of these tb teams no better than a lot of JV teams today.

There are some different levels of travel ball but for the most part the competition is pretty good. I will say that the last 4 years my DD played on her summer team 2 at 16u and 2 at 18u, there is no JV team in the State of Ohio that would ever beat them, and probably no Varsity teams as well.

 

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There are some different levels of travel ball but for the most part the competition is pretty good. I will say that the last 4 years my DD played on her summer team 2 at 16u and 2 at 18u, there is no JV team in the State of Ohio that would ever beat them, and probably no Varsity teams as well.

I agree there are good teams out there, my dd played for the Wave and we saw some good teams but you have to admit that the number of so called select and gold teams has increased a ton over the last few years. This has been another big discussion on here recently and there is a very good case to be made that TB has become very diluted compared to a few years ago.
jmho
And yes HITTER-I am totally serious, what part of what I have posted do you not understand

 

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Are you saying that if #2 could practice with her travel team during high school season, that she would actually be getting in game situations there?

Are you saying that a pitcher can practice on her own when OHSAA regulations state they can't? That's what I want cleared up.

Concerning the TB practice, Flarays said it. If it doesn't interfere with HS, why not?

Waverider,

Are you telling me that high school ball is the end all, be all? Does any of the girls want to play at the college level? I agree that travel has gotten diluted some, but if you want to be the best, you need to go to the best to play the best.