TSSAA Makes changes

[MANURE]

Like I said, it came from my farm. These new changes are pure manure. The changes are not good and are being protested by many people.

[davidlimbaugh]

Don't blame the 'TSSAA' on this. Blame the voters who voted this in.

 

They have effectively gutted high school baseball in this state. The schools that have money and can hire a person to teach their batters and pitchers will not feel that much of a hit. But a school that has invested in their own indoor facility but does not have the means to go elsewhere gets the short end. How many schools thinking of putting up an indoor facility in the next year or two is now saying "Why bother"?

 

Lets try to make some sense of this one item at a time, shall we?

 

>>> b. The adding of six weeks of dead period during the school year for all

>>> sports except football, which adds three weeks.

 

I love how this entire press release doesn't include a single "HARD FACT". Here is a great

example! What are the dates? When are the dead perions?

 

>>> c. Reduction in the number of contests for all sports except football,

>>> soccer and volleyball.

 

What makes this sports 'special'?

 

>>> d. Elimination of spring practice in basketball.

>>>

 

Why????

 

>>> e. Elimination of open facilities in spring sports until January 1.

 

Another example of not enough FACTS. From WHEN until January 1st? Does this only apply to YOUR facility or

to the local 'hitting school' in your neck of the woods? Is 'closed' facilities ok?

 

 

>>> f. Set a limit of preseason scrimmages in all sports (4 scrimmages or 2

>>> scrimmage dates or 1 date and 2 scrimmages).

 

Why? Umpires and referees and booster clubs can sure use the practice/money!

 

 

>>> g. Added a 50% rule that applies to basketball, baseball, and softball

>>> prior to the season beginning and during the school year. Participation

>>> (includes practice) during the school year on a non-school team prior to

>>> the season by students that will play the following season on the high

>>> school team is limited to 50% of the number of players required to play

>>> the game (i.e., 3 in basketball, 5 in baseball and softball).

 

This one has a lot of folks pondering. The 'during the school year' part.

What if you are a year-round school? Does that then affect summer ball

even though a traditional school year team CAN play all of their kids in

summer ball together since that would not be during the school year?

 

>>> h. Added: All athletic practice during the regular hours of any school day

>>> shall confirm to the same rules, regulations, and seasons as corresponding

>>> athletic practice outside the school day.

 

Huh??

 

These new rules seem to be a hodge-podge of ideas but with no set-in-stone

this is the way it will be standards.

 

The worst thing this does to baseball in this state is a) Kills 'fall ball' - fall

ball is very needed for a program to get the kids (and their parents!) together

as a 'team' for next spring. And the 'open facilities' rule doesn't seem to

make any sense whatsoever except to the 'K schools' and 'Hitting Academies'

across the state.

 

A truly dark time for what has been an extremely healthy sport in this state.

Anyone who attended last year's Forrest vs McKenzie state championship

game will attest to what WAS the state of high school baseball in this state.

[THE MENACE]

so what do we do? this is ridiculous.

[davidlimbaugh]

QUOTE(THE MENACE @ Mar 16 2007 - 11:10 PM) 826414917[/snapback]so what do we do? this is ridiculous.

 

 

What did folks do when a state income tax was being discussed? /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

[hammer dawg]

did the TBCA not try to voice the opinion of baseball coaches across the state ? there is power in numbers- but not if someone or some group is not willing to step up. face it- it's somewhat the baseball community's fault for letting this happen by not keeping up with what the gustapo (tssaa) does behind closed doors

[riverdaleman]

QUOTE(davidlimbaugh @ Mar 16 2007 - 10:27 PM) 826414957[/snapback]What did folks do when a state income tax was being discussed? /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

 

O.K. david...where do we honk our horns at?...i am with you on this subject and i have read MANY threads on these boards by different people who share our beliefs on this topic...NOT 1 person has said i thinkit is a good idea not 1...what can we do where do we start...

 

QUOTE(hammer dawg @ Mar 16 2007 - 10:36 PM) 826414974[/snapback]did the TBCA not try to voice the opinion of baseball coaches across the state ? there is power in numbers- but not if someone or some group is not willing to step up. face it- it's somewhat the baseball community's fault for letting this happen by not keeping up with what the gustapo (tssaa) does behind closed doors

 

actually ...it is my understanding there were a lot of coaches there being allowed to SPEAK and they all spoke against it but i heard there was a huge turnout for this it just fell on deaf ears

[davidlimbaugh]

QUOTE(riverdaleman @ Mar 16 2007 - 11:41 PM) 826414983[/snapback]O.K. david...where do we honk our horns at?...i am with you on this subject and i have read MANY threads on these boards by different people who share our beliefs on this topic...NOT 1 person has said i thinkit is a good idea not 1...what can we do where do we start...

actually ...it is my understanding there were a lot of coaches there being allowed to SPEAK and they all spoke against it but i heard there was a huge turnout for this it just fell on deaf ears

 

 

I would start it like any other grassroots campaign. What do you do with your legislator to make a point. You make a point of getting in touch with him or her. Agreed?

 

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...D=2007703160438

 

The calendar, approved by a 5-3 vote, takes effect July 30 — the first day of practice for fall sports.

 

Council members Richard Carroll (Sullivan North), Ed Foster (Ooltewah), John Malone (Treadwell), Phil Rogers (Jackson Central-Merry) and Mike Tatum (Lewis County) voted for the calendar. Dan Black (Crockett County), Rick Martin (Watertown) and Michael Reynolds (Farragut) voted against it. Steve Harris (FRA) was not present.

 

 

I don't see a lot of Middle Tennessee representation above - Watertown and Lewis County??? Notice how Farragut voted against it? In the past few years Farragut

has had players drafted (Kyle Waldrop and Michael McKenry come to mind) and players go on to East Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee to name a few...

I was surprised to see Ooltewah vote for it....

 

I think contact information for the above can be found at http://www.tssaa.org/schdir/Schdir_Search.cfm

 

Perhaps a letter writing campaign is in order?

[Hoganknows]

QUOTE(bigchief @ Mar 16 2007 - 08:21 AM) 826413934[/snapback]Guys, please READ the thing before you fly off the handle. The 50% rule is only in effect during the school year, not the summer. It WILL effect fall leagues, but not summer travel teams. AAU, and Travel Volleyball will be effected by the rule, but not baseball/softball. The bigger effect by the changes will be those schools with athletic "periods during the school day. You cannot practice during 4th block or whatever unless it is in-season. There are a lot of schools that call it study hall or whatever that will be in violation.

 

Good post--Coaches have only to look at themselves as why this rule is in place--kids need to be allowed to be kids and not playing one sport year round. All sports and all coaches need to look at themselves and give the kids and parents their lives back--remember only about 3% of all high school athletes go to college on scholarships--lets let the other 97% enjoy their high school experience and bring back the 3 or 4 sport letterman.

[BallFourBaseHit]

QUOTE(Hoganknows @ Mar 17 2007 - 08:44 AM) 826415188[/snapback]QUOTE(bigchief @ Mar 16 2007 - 08:21 AM)

Guys, please READ the thing before you fly off the handle. The 50% rule is only in effect during the school year, not the summer. It WILL effect fall leagues, but not summer travel teams. AAU, and Travel Volleyball will be effected by the rule, but not baseball/softball. The bigger effect by the changes will be those schools with athletic "periods during the school day. You cannot practice during 4th block or whatever unless it is in-season. There are a lot of schools that call it study hall or whatever that will be in violation.

 

Good post--Coaches have only to look at themselves as why this rule is in place--kids need to be allowed to be kids and not playing one sport year round. All sports and all coaches need to look at themselves and give the kids and parents their lives back--remember only about 3% of all high school athletes go to college on scholarships--lets let the other 97% enjoy their high school experience and bring back the 3 or 4 sport letterman.

 

 

Bigchief and Hoganknows -

 

sorry ... but it does affect the summer. If there are no open facilities for spring sports until Jan 1, then how can kids use their high school hitting facilities during the summer? And before I hear from you private school bashers out there, be careful, most of the high school hitting facilities I have seen in the state are at public schools!

 

and even if a school doesn't have an indoor hitting facility, won't this also technically apply to the use of the baseball or softball fields? of for that matter, the soccer fields? I guess we could just take down the gates to our fields and let unsupervised kids go it alone.

 

" ... and give the kids and parents their lives back ... and bring back the 3 or 4 sport letterman." Did you really just write that? So they'll have more family time by playing 3 or 4 varsity sports than they will playing 1 sport? Sorry hogan but in this case you don't know what you're talking about.

 

... except that you do bring up an interesting point ... perhaps the football coaches are the only ones really liking these rule changes. After all, their sports are affected the least and if other sports don't get as much off season opportunity, maybe those kids will play football ... and end up swelling up to unhealthy weights ... and deal with debilitating injuries ... and end their promising baseball or basketball careers before they even get the chance to be the 3% earning college scholarships. But hey ... at least they'll get to spend more time with mom and dad ... maybe for the rest of their lives if they're really lucky.

 

but that's just me flying off the handle again ...

[Hoganknows]

QUOTE(BallFourBaseHit @ Mar 17 2007 - 09:51 AM) 826415223[/snapback]Bigchief and Hoganknows -

 

sorry ... but it does affect the summer. If there are no open facilities for spring sports until Jan 1, then how can kids use their high school hitting facilities during the summer? And before I hear from you private school bashers out there, be careful, most of the high school hitting facilities I have seen in the state are at public schools!

 

and even if a school doesn't have an indoor hitting facility, won't this also technically apply to the use of the baseball or softball fields? of for that matter, the soccer fields? I guess we could just take down the gates to our fields and let unsupervised kids go it alone.

 

" ... and give the kids and parents their lives back ... and bring back the 3 or 4 sport letterman." Did you really just write that? So they'll have more family time by playing 3 or 4 varsity sports than they will playing 1 sport? Sorry hogan but in this case you don't know what you're talking about.

 

... except that you do bring up an interesting point ... perhaps the football coaches are the only ones really liking these rule changes. After all, their sports are affected the least and if other sports don't get as much off season opportunity, maybe those kids will play football ... and end up swelling up to unhealthy weights ... and deal with debilitating injuries ... and end their promising baseball or basketball careers before they even get the chance to be the 3% earning college scholarships. But hey ... at least they'll get to spend more time with mom and dad ... maybe for the rest of their lives if they're really lucky.

 

but that's just me flying off the handle again ...

 

Sorry, ballfourbasehit--I do know what I'm taking about and so does the TSSAA--they want kids playing more sports and not one coach telling them and their parents they have to spend 24 hours a day playing one sport to get a "suppose" college free ride. If you don't see this --then You Don't Know What Your Talking About--and your one of those coaches or one of those parents who have been brained washed.That's just me flying out of here--enough said

[Legends]

Maybe we are all flying off the handle!!! Be realistic if your child wants to play more than one sport he or she does it. We all make sacarfices for our kids and will continue to do so no matter what TSSAA does.

 

Maybe we do not have the abilities to take on TSSAA or do we??? This is something that all divisions have to do together if we dont speak up then changes like this will continue.

 

If you child elects to play more than one sport he or she does it and is not practicing two or three sports with the school at a time because THEY can't do it. They all have their own interest and if they elect to do it then why not??? Alot of these kids play because they want to. Alot of them this is their last chance to play a sport the love when they go to college its over High Shcool is it!!!

 

How many of you are MAKING your child play?

 

By the time they reach this age either they want to play or they quit. I know at the High School here, NO kids are told that they have to choose only one sport. If they play more than one thats when they have no down time. They end one sport and start they next one the every next day.

 

Its time to let the right people hear us and not just talking on Coach T anyone can do that if you are serious then take action and let the ones that make these decision know how you feel. Don't wait on someone else to do it. If you want changes then don't just talk about it. Get the facts and address each one.

[Mwalls14]

I've always had sort of a mixed opinion with regard to the high school summer teams. From the coaches' aspect, it's great. You can keep your team together, build the chemistry and develop for the high school season. It also allows you to control the bad habits that some kids develop from other programs.

 

On the other hand, the high school programs have to be pretty limited in their traveling and games because since they're pretty much requiring you to play, the coach can't really then force each player to pay the 1000-1500 to cover traveling and tournament costs. You can let your booster club handle alot of that.

 

What I don't like about the high school teams is that I think it really limits the opportunities these kids have to be seen by colleges. In that aspect, I think coaches are really doing a disservice to their kids. There are alot of lazy coaches who are happy making the rounds of the other in-town teams. You almost have to be a stud to have the leverage to tell the coach no.

 

Because I coach a summer team, I'm not crazy about the summer teams, but I have seen that alot of them are starting to branch out and play in leagues and travel more, which is good.

 

QUOTE(Mwalls14 @ Mar 17 2007 - 05:19 PM) 826415557[/snapback]I've always had sort of a mixed opinion with regard to the high school summer teams. From the coaches' aspect, it's great. You can keep your team together, build the chemistry and develop for the high school season. It also allows you to control the bad habits that some kids develop from other programs.

 

On the other hand, the high school programs have to be pretty limited in their traveling and games because since they're pretty much requiring you to play, the coach can't really then force each player to pay the 1000-1500 to cover traveling and tournament costs. You can let your booster club handle alot of that.

 

What I don't like about the high school teams is that I think it really limits the opportunities these kids have to be seen by colleges. In that aspect, I think coaches are really doing a disservice to their kids. There are alot of lazy coaches who are happy making the rounds of the other in-town teams. You almost have to be a stud to have the leverage to tell the coach no.

 

Because I coach a summer team, I'm not crazy about the high school summer teams, but I have seen that alot of them are starting to branch out and play in leagues and travel more, which is good.