Is this legal?

[getright]

Talking with our coaches they are very upset over the "interpretation" of the rule. I know that they have tried to be models for their kids and my children to follow and not just talk a good game and then sidestep around the rules. It is a sad day in athletics when one of the most well respected Christian coaches looks for a loophole to use or maybe instead to jump through

[blueangel51]

Most administrators wouldnt allow people to lift in a parking lot considering the fact that there has to be a coach or trained member of the school staff to supervise weightlifting. Our school board strictly forbids weightlifting when there is no coach present on school property. Someone gets hurt angry partents can get rich in a hurry. However I think that a track or a field should be open to condition and run b/c its extremely hot outside but it shouldnt be organized by a coach or have incentives made by a coach. That would be like paying a player.....

[donathan5507]

TSSAA Handbook p. 26:

 

Dead Period: All schools will observe a two-week dead period during the week preceding the Fourth of July week and the week of the Fourth of July. During this two-week dead period there can be no coaching or any contact or observation by any coach, faculty or non-faculty, with any student-athletes unless written permission has been granted by the Executive Director upon written request from the principal or athletic director of the school.

 

Open Facilities: A school may open its facilities to all students in their school and coaches may serve in a supervisory capacity only. No practice schedules may be followed, the facilities must be open to everyone in the school, and coaches may serve in a supervisory capacity only.

 

Definitions

1. Practice – Coach and player(s) together with instruction, teaching, coaching, etc. going on.

2. Open facilities – Coach serves in supervisory capacity only. There is no teaching, no instructions, no coaching, etc.

3. Tournament -- A competition of three or more teams and three or more games, matches, etc., where there is advancement to determine a champion. It is held on successive days with no regular season games being played during the tournament.

4. Dead Period -- No coaching, observing, or contact between coach and players. All indoor facilities of schools must be closed unless approved in writing by the Executive Director.

5. Weight Training/Conditioning Program -- Permitted at all times except during the dead period. During the off-season, it must be open to all students, cannot be required, and must be a program that would benefit all students (not sport specific).

6. When Is There TSSAA Catastrophic Insurance Coverage? -- TSSAA catastrophic insurance coverage occurs in any practice situation permitted by the sports calendar and provided there is supervision by a coach as defined by Article I, Section 9 (non-faculty coaches must be registered by the school to TSSAA). Catastrophic insurance coverage does not apply to open facilities, out-of-season weightlifting, or conditioning programs, etc.undefined

 

So this basically says that a coach could sit out in the parking lot, he'd just have to keep his mouth shut and watch. While silly, it could be done.

 

If someone were to get hurt, they would almost be at fault considering any lifting done during the dead period must be absolutely voluntary and the coach isn't even allowed so much as to say hello to the players. The same seems to apply to any off-season weightlifting as well (sans the embargo on the coaches lips).

 

However, if you're going to take weights into the parking lot, it must be done before the dead period starts and they must stay out there for the duration of the DP...this is because the weight room is definitely going to be locked up tight. It would be a lot more sensible to just go to your local gym and lift weights there instead of doing a set of incline bench in this opressive heat.

 

On a side note, I think what Sevier County did is completely okay with me, provided the players didn't use any indoor facilities and the coach was only informed of the attendance figures after the dead period was over. Plus, having 38 teenage kids show up at 6:45 AM in the summer to work out is astounding. These kids definitely earned their trip to the UT Invitational...ahem...the Peach Bowl.

Edited August 4, 2006 by donathan5507

[old24eagle]

I may be wrong but more than likely players were told if they made a certain # of workouts during the summer ( the entire summer exclucing thre dead period) then they would be rewarded. Tell me a successful program in the state that doesn't do that. Coach Brewer is not going to try to cheat or find loopholes nor does he need to SCHS has had enough success and built enough tradition that kids that want to play there know they need to work hard during the off season and would do it on there own if need be.

[topvol98]

I may be wrong but more than likely players were told if they made a certain # of workouts during the summer ( the entire summer exclucing thre dead period) then they would be rewarded. Tell me a successful program in the state that doesn't do that. Coach Brewer is not going to try to cheat or find loopholes nor does he need to SCHS has had enough success and built enough tradition that kids that want to play there know they need to work hard during the off season and would do it on there own if need be.

 

 

NO, the article quoted the coach as saying that the players had to make 3 of the workouts during the dead period that were supposedly "voluntary" and ran per se the instructions given to the seniors.