TSSAA Issues Sanctions on Tullahoma

[bruinsoccer]

TSSAA is consistent. The last thing they need to do is to try to figure out a different penalty for each single event.

 

Our justice system essentially does this, and look how long it takes for each case. TSSAA doesn't have this kind of time.

 

It's simple: Play an ineligible player, forfeit those games. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how the player became ineligible. If TSSAA wasn't this consistent, the same folks crying about this "injustice" would be crying about the inconsistency. We would hear things like "this happened at another school and all they got was a warning. Why do we have to forfeit?"

 

TSSAA does an incredible job given everything they have to consider. Everyone could probably find something they want to change. However, when taking everyone and everything into account, their system works best.

 

They enforce the rules. If the rules need to be changed, it's up to the schools to be a part of the process of changing them.

[ETSU_BucSoccerFan]

Regardless of penalties, if there is ever a debate between whether or not you would report a violation on yourself, time to find a new career coaches. Remember the influence we have on these young men, and for of us some young women as well. What type of role model are we if we know we made a mistake and just let it compound by not correcting it or admitting it. I'd rather take the slap on the wrist, no matter how severe, so I can look those kids in the eyes and know I did the right thing. Now, maybe somewhere in their life when a tough decision needs to be made they do the right thing as well. Just a thought. Also, I understand that most rules violations are reported by a parent of player on your own team who does not like the decisions you make.

If it were only a slap on the wrist.

[akula21]

Blackmansoccerdad, That may have been porely expressed, but I did say it shouldn't matter how severe the slap was, I meant no disrespect. I know some players who play baseball who last year had their coach, miss a pitch count and have their season end for that. I understand how hard it can be to the kids to have their season end when they performed well on the field, my only reason for posting was the discussion between turning yourself in or not. I feel we have the only sport left that has true class and integrity, where winning at all costs is not the objective. We don't have the kids who are being recruited by nike and adidas in middle school. We don't have all our kids thinking they can make it in the NFL or NBA. As a coach, your job is to win, we all know this, but we also have a TRUE responsibility to develop these young men and women to become good people who will pay it forward and contribute to their community. It may sound utopian, but if I ever forget these are also my goals, along with being competitive, I will hang up my cleats. Just my thoughts. Sorry for the novel. I just worry we lose sight sometimes.

[goo]

akula, i've enjoyed several of your posts on other threads, and i love parts of your arguments here, but disagree rather strongly with your conclusion. i like the idea (found in a later post) that, at least in the US, soccer is fairly pure insofar as it is free of commercialist taint. i also agree absolutely that coaches are role models for their players and should teach them not only soccer, but values. where i think that i disagree is on exactly which values you want to teach your players.

 

while there is something intrinsically valuable in adhering to reasonable regulations consensually committed to, the same is not true of rules that are unfair, unwise, or despotic in content OR ENFORCEMENT. i would never teach my players to unthinkingly follow rules regardless of how it will adversely affect others, precisely because i do not think that it is the right thing to do.

 

my reasoning in not turning myself in as the coach in a Tullahoma-like situation would be that it would be unfair to my team to erase their achievement for the sake of a rule whose spirit had not been violated. the rule is designed to keep schools from using part time students to bolster their programs, or from the other angle, to keep kids from using school only for sports. this was not the situation at tullahoma and no crime had been intentionally committed and no materially unfair advantage derived. consequently, while in acknowledgment of the mistake some light penalty might be acceptable, i could not conscionably negate the honest, legitimate efforts of my team for the sake of rules whose spirit was not binding in this situation and would hope to teach my kids to know better, too.

 

lest my kids think that i was acting dishonorably and think that it was alright, i would explain to them the nature of the situation, encourage to consider the facts outline above, and explain that there were three courses of action: turning ourselves in, asking the kid in violation to stop playing, or continuing to compete with the kid on the roster. i would try to steer them towards one of the latter options and hope that they chose the last and risked their success on behalf of their senior, but would not obligate them to do so.

 

in responding in this manner, i would be teaching them three things, directly and indirectly:

1.) to always make sure that their actions are morally justifiable on grounds other than "someone in charge said so."

2.) to believe in the legitimacy of democratic decision-making

3.) to take responsibility for their actions, by outlining the possible ramifications and implications of each alternative and letting them choose between.

 

i value all of these things more than blind adherence to arbitrary rules in situations where the author and enforcer of the rules acts without a sense of justice.

 

i mean to present this as an alternative frame in which to interpret the situation and do not assume your position on any of the issues thus reframed (ex: i would not conted that you believe in "blind adherence to arbitrary rules" when viewed as such) and hope that it is not offensive.

 

peace.

 

p.s. as is my wont (just ask manu721), i outdid you on the "novel" front

Edited April 27, 2006 by goo

[ETSU_BucSoccerFan]

Blackmansoccerdad, That may have been porely expressed, but I did say it shouldn't matter how severe the slap was, I meant no disrespect. I know some players who play baseball who last year had their coach, miss a pitch count and have their season end for that. I understand how hard it can be to the kids to have their season end when they performed well on the field, my only reason for posting was the discussion between turning yourself in or not. I feel we have the only sport left that has true class and integrity, where winning at all costs is not the objective. We don't have the kids who are being recruited by nike and adidas in middle school. We don't have all our kids thinking they can make it in the NFL or NBA. As a coach, your job is to win, we all know this, but we also have a TRUE responsibility to develop these young men and women to become good people who will pay it forward and contribute to their community. It may sound utopian, but if I ever forget these are also my goals, along with being competitive, I will hang up my cleats. Just my thoughts. Sorry for the novel. I just worry we lose sight sometimes.

No disrespect taken, however I would turn myself in if I were a coach, I had just brought up an intriguing question brought by someone else in an earlier post. After reading goo's last post, I am having second thoughts, because he does bring some very valid points to the discussion

[akula21]

Great points, Goo, that definitely makes me think about it much more deeply, I can see both sides, and this is something that needs some people at TSSAA to begin to think about.