Defining the Seasons (carryover from "AAA")

[bd4vols]

I have to agree about the "major" sports in regards to their "offseason" practice. Baseball, softball, football, and basketball clash every year about who is going to be where, esp. when your school has a coach is unreasonable in regards to his/her sport.

I don't want to see the TSSAA tinker with volleyball to the point were no summer practice can take place, or limits are placed regarding what we can do. Right now, we have a pretty good setup where we can have non-mandatory practices after school is out for the summer. I don't really want to see many changes in how the volleyball season is, with the exception of maybe adding a 5th tournament.

Volleyball is very skill intensive, and the great teams have players that play virtually year-round. I'd hate to see the TSSAA limit what we as coaches can do to make our players better. Tennessee volleyball athletes are already limited as far as overall skill level goes as a whole in comparison to other states. We don't need to get any further behind. I coach more than one sport and have been extremely successful in those others. But I will say that I always look forward to volleyball season rolling around because the sport is so exciting. If you match two great volleyball teams together, you can't get much better.

[clifford20]

Ok.  Let's talk about practices during the summer. 

 

First let's define the terms in-season, off-season, and summer.  All carry different rules and regulations as governed by the TSSAA.  These aren't necessarily defined in the TSSAA constitution, but through interpretation of the main TSSAA officers.  Questions can be referred to Brother Bob Baldridge or Trina Melton in the TSSAA office.  Trina is especially good at getting back to inquiries in a rapid manner.  The following is a compilation of the various seasons as interpreted by the TSSAA over the past ten years of my being a coach and athletic director in Tennessee.

 

In-Season refers to the time from the Monday in the week containing Aug. 1 through the end of the State tournament.  There are no practice limitations in time or scope, practice can be mandatory, teams can scrimmage after a certain number of practices, and then play after the date set by the TSSAA calendar. 

 

Off-season refers to the time immediately following the elimination of a team from competition until the end of school.  Coaches can design and implement a NON-MANDATORY lifting and conditioning program for their athletes AND can open up their gyms for NON-MANDATORY, self regulated open gyms.  The coaches cannot give any skill specific instruction, nor can they set up a schedule of drills to complete.  In essence, coaches may open a gym, turn on lights, set up a net, and watch.  There cannot be any tryouts during the Off-season.

 

Summer refers to the time immediately after the last final exam/class offered by a school until the Monday in the week containing Aug. 1.  The following rules apply during the whole of the summer period with the exception of the dead weeks.  During summer time, coaches can have tryouts, compete in scrimmages, attend camps, and conduct full-blown practices.  These practices can contain skill directed instruction.  These practices can be designed and implemented by a coach.  The key is that practices cannot be in any way shape or form mandatory.  You cannot require athletes to attend practice.  You cannot require athletes to attend camps.  You cannot provide any sort of punishment or consequence for missing practice or camp.

 

It is vital that we all have an understanding of the various seasons, and the limitations inherent within each.  It truly helps avoid the finger pointing and accusations that occur when people have varying interpretations of the rules.  Questions?  Comments?  Rude remarks?

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Ok, I called TSSAA and I did not get an answer even close to this. I was told that coaches could have open GYM but no instructions can take place prior to Aug 1st. They can go to team camp or individual camps but that is all.

 

The thing that confuses me is that you always hear TSSAA say "the first day of practice is try outs".

 

 

Where did you get your info at Memphis Coach?

[memphisvbcoach]

Hmmm. Curiouser and curiouser. Trina is out of the office until Friday. Maybe she can clear this up. If I am wrong – not to fear…my team hasn’t begun practicing. We will change our structure completely and abide by the rules. We will also spread the word to folks on our side of the state. I honestly can’t tell you the source of my information. It is the result of many phone calls with various persons within the TSSAA office made both by myself and others in our school. I know personally of five school athletic programs (multiple sports) that have been operating under the same guidelines, and honestly we all have been acting in good faith. We will seek to do what’s right.

[clifford20]

Hmmm.  Curiouser and curiouser.  Trina is out of the office until Friday.  Maybe she can clear this up.  If I am wrong – not to fear…my team hasn’t begun practicing.  We will change our structure completely and abide by the rules.  We will also spread the word to folks on our side of the state.  I honestly can’t tell you the source of my information.  It is the result of many phone calls with various persons within the TSSAA office made both by myself and others in our school.  I know personally of five school athletic programs (multiple sports) that have been operating under the same guidelines, and honestly we all have been acting in good faith.  We will seek to do what’s right.

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I think that most programs thought that they could start practice on the first day of summer. Otherwise they could not have tryouts. I am not sure if any area teams are practicing or not. But there is no clarity in any of this.

 

I hope your post is right, just because it makes the most sense.

[ComPassion]

What? You mean TSSAA said NO to something they have printed and said YES to in the past??

 

Memphis IS right ...but right is irrelavent to persons who value power over what is "right".

 

And, see how Memphis "has to" cower down just in case they decide to ignore their past interpretations and stick it to someone in a gray area where they have contradicted themselves so many times that all that remains is fear of the power brokers.

 

Makes me sick. If it was just lack of organization I wouldn't mind. But, I have seen them try to leverage power on non-TSSAA schools, on non-TSSAA organizations, on situations where they quoted/printed exactly the opposite last time, on situations where they do not have the facts, on situations where they did not inform someone of an unpublished requirement then try to stick it to you when you don't know, on situations where what's good for a kid is not even considered because the opportunity to say NO is tugging at them so forcefully ...basically, if they think they can get away with saying "NO" then they say "NO" ..if they can maintain an atmosphere of doubt and fear then they allow it ..fear equals power.

 

Where did "the kids" go in all of this??? Why is it that "what's best for the kids" is not present in every ruling??

Sorry, I'll answer my own question- because "the kids" are secondary to their beauracracy and feelings of power over people.

 

You've seen how Baldridge treats people in general. Have you looked in his eyes as he power-plays someone? Makes me sick.

 

I know most of you "can't" say anything because you could be put in their arbitrary sights ..hard situation to resolve ain't it?

 

Again, thank you to all TSSAA personnel who do consider the kids foremost in their rulings.

[clifford20]

Ok, I called TSSAA and I did not get an answer even close to this.  I was told that coaches could have open GYM but no instructions can take place prior to Aug 1st.  They can go to team camp or individual camps but that is all. 

 

The thing that confuses me is that you always hear TSSAA say "the first day of practice is try outs". 

Where did you get your info at Memphis Coach?

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Any updates on this memphiscoach??

[ComPassion]

..sorry to interrupt clifford20..

 

I know of a good coach at a good school who is not practicing because the AD has called personally in the past and gotten a "yes" on this ..AND called personally and gotten a "no". So, they are paralyzed and scared to call again.

 

Way to go TSSAA.

 

I have read the multi passages you have to read to guess at what the rule is and thought definately "no" ..and I have re-read it and seen definately "yes".

[memphisvbcoach]

1) I've got a call in to Trina for clarification. We'll get this resolved once and for all. Hah!

 

2) This email came to me today (6/16) from one of the three voices I trust in Tennessee volleyball. I'll leave the individual unnamed until I get permission to use it. Honestly though, I would trust anything this person had to say as I know their relationship to the TSSAA.

 

"You can do anything including requiring your players to attend in the summer. TSSAA's only requirement in the summer is no practice during the Dead Period."

 

This interpretation gives more freedom towards coaches than anything we follow at our school. My school's policy is... nothing mandatory until the first official day of practice.

 

More on this interesting/controversial/insane topic as soon as I have more information.

[TheGreatLineJudge]

Food for thought. Impact (Nashville club ball) has had a "Summer HS League" for the last 3 weeks. Link

 

I am NOT trying to point the finger at these folks and say they're doing something wrong. Personally, I think summer should be open season for HS volleyball to do everything they can to practice/prepare. Getting +/- 3 weeks of "practice" before the season starts is a joke.

 

Considering what others have said on the issue of the "seasons", here is something being done by a very respected club program, and specific Tennessee school programs are mentioned on the site as having signed up and playing in the said league. This being publicly available information, how should these actions be interpreted? How should these actions be taken as a model for what to do/not to do?

[Cowboys Up]

Food for thought. Impact (Nashville club ball) has had a "Summer HS League" for the last 3 weeks. Link

 

I am NOT trying to point the finger at these folks and say they're doing something wrong. Personally, I think summer should be open season for HS volleyball to do everything they can to practice/prepare. Getting +/- 3 weeks of "practice" before the season starts is a joke.

 

Considering what others have said on the issue of the "seasons", here is something being done by a very respected club program, and specific Tennessee school programs are mentioned on the site as having signed up and playing in the said league. This being publicly available information, how should these actions be interpreted? How should these actions be taken as a model for what to do/not to do?

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There is no coaching done at these matches. Most times, the coach isn't even there and it isn't supposed to be manditory that the girls be there. The seniors do the subbing in and coaching. If the coach is there, they aren't saying anything. Just FYI -

[TheGreatLineJudge]

There is no coaching done at these matches.  Most times, the coach isn't even there and it isn't supposed to be manditory that the girls be there.  The seniors do the subbing in and coaching.  If the coach is there, they aren't saying anything.  Just FYI -

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Good to know, CU. I hope things of this nature become widespread. I think it's great for the girls to get back into the rhythm of the game (for those who don't play club), and experience for those who are new/inexperienced in the game. I'd love to see groups of high schools get together and just intermingle squads and play, play, play!