More questions on TSSAA 50% rule

[philmeyer]

From what I have gathered, the new 50% rule doesn't affect basketball. Coach T talked with someone at TSSAA and they said AAU basketball could be played as soon as basketball season is over. The 50% rule didn't affect basketball since it was after basketball season. Although in reality it is still prior to the following season. So what they have done is made sure AAU basketball wasn't touched. For basketball coaches, they don't get spring practice but they can have all of their players play together on a "local AAU" team with unlimited practices and games, which can legally be coached by an assistant coach. I'm actually glad its ok because my kids play aau, but it's still not fair in regards to softball/baseball.

For softball, girls can't play together in the fall, although it is 6 months prior to softball season starting. I don't like the idea of TSSAA telling me what my kids can and cannot do outside of school.

 

Questions on a couple of scenarios:

1. If someone violates the rule, what are the consequences?

2. In the fall can I, as a father take 5 players from our h.s. team and 4 others (not on the h.s. team) and play against another father who has 5 from our h.s. team and 4 others (not on the h.s. team). Although the 5 on each of our teams are at the same school, legally under the rules they are playing on seperate teams and not in violation of the rule.

3. How is the rule going to be enforced, especially since no one really seems to understand it.

 

I'm still perplexed by the rule and why it was really passed. I want my kids involved in as much as they can be involved in.

[gosaints10]

I agree totally with your comments and think it will be very difficult to monitor and enforce.

 

That said, I believe part of the impetus was to prevent High School coaches from "forcing / strongly recommending" that their school athletes play on a "high school sponsored team" (potentially coached by a volunteer associated with the high school and wearing the high school uniforms) during the summer travel ball. Reason being is that does two things that are deemed unfair: a) it's like additional practice for the high school team and extending the season by playing travel ball tournaments (in 16U or 18U), and /cool.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="B)" border="0" alt="cool.gif" /> it put some kids in a situation where they felt they had to play on that team (because their high school teammates all were doing it and their coach expected it) vs. playing on a more competitive travel ball team during the summer. The latter being potentially bad for the athlete----particularly a star athlete that really was better served playing on a "Gold" / "College Exposure" type team that could qualify and go to bigger tournaments-----as opposed to a high school team that's playing 16u/18u ball in local / regional tournament formats. Thus, there's a perception that the high school team has an unfair advantage (more time playing together for the team) AND, on the flip side, those high school that "require that" may put undue pressure on a college-bound athlete to participate on a team that's not going to compete at the level during travel ball that's best for them.

 

Again, high school coaches aren't supposed to coach after a certain date and there really is no "high school sponsored teams" because they all have to be affiliated/register with USSSA, ASA, USFA, or one of the other governing bodies to play but the reality is there are high school teams competing in these tournaments with a volunteer coach and they simply registered the team through their local city youth athletic association.

 

I am aware of some specific situations where this was the case, however, I don't have specific knowledge that this is what drove this crazy new rule. I think this rule will probably address those two things above but will unfortunately create strife for a bigger population of athletes--- particular those in non-metro areas that simply want to play competitive ball in local tournaments during the summer.

[CoachforLife]

QUOTE(gosaints10 @ Mar 21 2007 - 12:55 PM) 826419440[/snapback]I agree totally with your comments and think it will be very difficult to monitor and enforce.

 

That said, I believe part of the impetus was to prevent High School coaches from "forcing / strongly recommending" that their school athletes play on a "high school sponsored team" (potentially coached by a volunteer associated with the high school and wearing the high school uniforms) during the summer travel ball. Reason being is that does two things that are deemed unfair: a) it's like additional practice for the high school team and extending the season by playing travel ball tournaments (in 16U or 18U), and /cool.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="B)" border="0" alt="cool.gif" /> it put some kids in a situation where they felt they had to play on that team (because their high school teammates all were doing it and their coach expected it) vs. playing on a more competitive travel ball team during the summer. The latter being potentially bad for the athlete----particularly a star athlete that really was better served playing on a "Gold" / "College Exposure" type team that could qualify and go to bigger tournaments-----as opposed to a high school team that's playing 16u/18u ball in local / regional tournament formats. Thus, there's a perception that the high school team has an unfair advantage (more time playing together for the team) AND, on the flip side, those high school that "require that" may put undue pressure on a college-bound athlete to participate on a team that's not going to compete at the level during travel ball that's best for them.

 

Again, high school coaches aren't supposed to coach after a certain date and there really is no "high school sponsored teams" because they all have to be affiliated/register with USSSA, ASA, USFA, or one of the other governing bodies to play but the reality is there are high school teams competing in these tournaments with a volunteer coach and they simply registered the team through their local city youth athletic association.

 

I am aware of some specific situations where this was the case, however, I don't have specific knowledge that this is what drove this crazy new rule. I think this rule will probably address those two things above but will unfortunately create strife for a bigger population of athletes--- particular those in non-metro areas that simply want to play competitive ball in local tournaments during the summer.

 

 

More questions:

 

Some of the smaller schools have 8th graders playing with their varsity. My question is are you expected to count potential Varsity players toward the 50% rule for next season? An example would be a 14U team containing 4 girls who are currently seventh graders, but intend on trying out for the varsity team next season as eighth graders and two 8th graders who are currently on the varsity team? You could potentially have a total of six varsity players for the upcoming season together. There is no way of knowing how many of them, if any, will make the team, so I'm assuming this rule only applies to girls who have already made the Varsity team in the past.

[JustBeingNosy]

QUOTE(CoachforLife @ Mar 21 2007 - 12:43 PM) 826419475[/snapback]More questions:

 

Some of the smaller schools have 8th graders playing with their varsity. My question is are you expected to count potential Varsity players toward the 50% rule for next season? An example would be a 14U team containing 4 girls who are currently seventh graders, but intend on trying out for the varsity team next season as eighth graders and two 8th graders who are currently on the varsity team? You could potentially have a total of six varsity players for the upcoming season together. There is no way of knowing how many of them, if any, will make the team, so I'm assuming this rule only applies to girls who have already made the Varsity team in the past.

 

 

The way I read it is that the 50 percent rule does apply to basketball also while school is still in session. It does not affect summer softball..just fall softball after school goes back in session. AAU basketball cannot practice with more than 3 players off the same hs team until school is out for the summer.....same goes for softball and baseball...