The TSSAA has lost their cotton pickin' minds!

[fiftyfifty]

Texas has a much more restrictive summer practice rule. They do not allow ANYTHING but weight training and conditioning (running) in the summer months and all weight room activity must be optional for kids. At least you still have spring football for two weeks. Most states have ended all spring practice. Texas does allow for a state wide 7-on-7 passing league but schools can't work on it during the week. Most states have moved to a one or two week dead period and TN has had a one week dead period since 1997. The current restrictions are a reflection of where most states are headed. The private schools in MS/ARK/LA all require each school to assign a one week dead period for all student-athletes.I do think the 10 day limit on 7-on-7 is too restrictive but the current charter of the TSSAA allows the rules committee to establish such rules. We can complain all we want, this is the way the charter was established years ago.No open facilities whatsoever during the dead period is my understanding of the OLD regulation.

 

And with Texas having a much more restrictive summer practice rule, it kinda dispells the notion that Tennessee will now go downhill in football. Texas football is as competitive as anywhere in the USA. If a kid wants to do some things on his own in the summer, he can always do that. But for the many athletes that need a little break, they can do that also. I don't see any need for great concern over the new rule. There will still be a ton of quality football in the great state of Tennessee.

[JC4life]

There are other people who would disagree.

 

Thanks TSSAA, For doing what coaches should.

 

It is my personal opinion that if individual kids chooses to practice, work out and/or play year round that is their prerogative. However, a high schooler should not be required to adhere to a year round or almost year round schedule. Coaches also need a break. JMHO

 

I completely agree, there should be a period of optional workouts(heck maybe two one in the summer one after the season). I think there will be a good amount of kids that will workout anyway during the optional period. Two weeks or a month off a year is NOT going to wreck a players development, just like making a kid workout all year round is not going to turn them into a superstar.

[tnsparty]

How can we assume these kids will take a month off? Not many kids are going to go on six week vacations with their families. (June plus the dead period) Most will spend six weeks hanging out in the neighborhood or at the mall. It bothers me that the TSSAA seems to be looking for a problem where there is none. Instead of lauding the positive time kids spend working with coaches who volunteer thier time. We keep hearing about how bad these coaches are for "forcing" kid to practice year round.

 

Many kids, in spite of the TSSAA will want to keep working to get better.

 

Those who can afford it will flock to programs at D1 and Velocity or MVP to get private training. Perhaps the TSSAA should go to these guys for some advertising dollars. (maybe that is the lucrative part)

 

Others will go to AAU style 7 on 7 teams that are sure to form. Does anyone else think there might be some problems when coaches (parents) start forming summer football teams to compete in 7 on 7 tournaments. I know this works great in basketbal and there have never been any issues with rouge coaches peddling kids for scholarships or with kids putting thier AAU teams ahead of thier school teams???

 

I, for one, appreciate the high school coaches and the time they are willing to spend with my son during thier time off. If you ask him he will tell you how much he looks forward to meeting every day with his coaches and his teamates. I don't think there is anything he would rather do once the TSSAA forces "time off"

 

 

The only thing the new rule does for football is ban 7v7s for the most part in June. Teams can still lift and condition with coach supervision in June. The 2 week dead period is the same. While I hate restrictions for the most part, it doesn't seem that big of a deal. Besides I think too much emphasis and schemeing is put on 7v7s.

[big red big blue]

How can we assume these kids will take a month off? Not many kids are going to go on six week vacations with their families. (June plus the dead period) Most will spend six weeks hanging out in the neighborhood or at the mall. It bothers me that the TSSAA seems to be looking for a problem where there is none. Instead of lauding the positive time kids spend working with coaches who volunteer thier time. We keep hearing about how bad these coaches are for "forcing" kid to practice year round.

 

Many kids, in spite of the TSSAA will want to keep working to get better.

 

Those who can afford it will flock to programs at D1 and Velocity or MVP to get private training. Perhaps the TSSAA should go to these guys for some advertising dollars. (maybe that is the lucrative part)

 

Others will go to AAU style 7 on 7 teams that are sure to form. Does anyone else think there might be some problems when coaches (parents) start forming summer football teams to compete in 7 on 7 tournaments. I know this works great in basketbal and there have never been any issues with rouge coaches peddling kids for scholarships or with kids putting thier AAU teams ahead of thier school teams???

 

I, for one, appreciate the high school coaches and the time they are willing to spend with my son during thier time off. If you ask him he will tell you how much he looks forward to meeting every day with his coaches and his teamates. I don't think there is anything he would rather do once the TSSAA forces "time off"

 

 

I was thinking the same thing--i.e., that the policy (albeit only for 2 weeks) favors anyone who has the wherewithal to work-out outside of school (i.e., join a gym, buy their own weights, etc.). I would think the policy would just be that the gym is unlocked, and if you want to work out, that's fine. But I suspect that some coach has to be there for safety reasons, and then the whole thing becomes mandatory.

 

I do think, on the other hand, that a family deserves to take a vacation without worrying about their kid losing his starting job because of a couple of missed work-outs.

[blueangel51]

All these excuses do is water down the sport and make those who are lazy not to have to work. My gradfather had a saying " if it is worth havin it is worth working for".

 

The players who care about the game are going to be working anyways, the lazy ones probably arent working hard when theyre at practice anyway, is it that hard for a qb to call skill players and organize a time every couple days a week to work on the passing game?

the situation ive seen it apply positively is for the multisport athlete where high school basketball has camps in the summer and baseball has summer league it works good, for those who play just football yeah it doesnt help anything, it just passes the responsibility to the individual players more than the teams to work on their passing game harder

[cbg]

The DEAD PERIOD is nothing more than a COMMUNIST rule that is designed to bring the top teams and coaching staffs down to everyones level.

 

If a player does not want to participate in a sport "year around" they do not have too. If the coaching staffs select to take time off that is their choice.

 

It's all about allowing individuals (players, schools, coaches, etc...) to make the choices that are best for their families and programs.

 

What ever happened to the idea that you can "OUTWORK" your competition?

[Solomon]

I'm merely just a fan who has not played in about a decade (jeez, I suddenly feel old) and doesn't have kids yet. I love the game, but I have never paid a whole lot of attention to the summer workouts part of it. But, from what little I have seen and know, I've not found a coach that has had any issues if a kid goes on vacation for a week. Now, if he doesn't show up for a month or all summer, then that is a different story, but even most coaches I know take a vacation during the summer.

 

Am I completely wrong on this? This seems to be the pro-dead period folks' biggest argument - that coaches frown upon kids taking a week off to go on a vacation. I mean, are there more coaches that I realize who fall into this category?

[fb247]

The DEAD PERIOD is nothing more than a COMMUNIST rule that is designed to bring the top teams and coaching staffs down to everyones level.

 

If a player does not want to participate in a sport "year around" they do not have too. If the coaching staffs select to take time off that is their choice.

 

It's all about allowing individuals (players, schools, coaches, etc...) to make the choices that are best for their families and programs.

 

What ever happened to the idea that you can "OUTWORK" your competition?

 

I hope coaches do not feel this way. This is not outworking. The best players are still going to play and the best teams will still win.

[ELA]

I do not always like being told what to do as a coach or an individual but the reality is we must follow the rules or face the consequences. WE must also try to pass this on to our players and model good behavior. The two week dead period is not a big issue, and if moving all of the passing league to July is a problem with some, most coaches will not care. If you can keep the weight room open until and after the dead period it's just not a problem except with about ten or twleve coaches around the state who don't want any rules in the summer. I have coached in several states and they all have some regulations regarding summer workouts.

[riverrat]

Correct me if I am wrong.

 

June is for weightlifting and conditioning only. No practice. (Practice is defined as the following only two of the following three maybe present at the same time: Coach, player(s) or ball) Therefore you can practice your running game without a ball and your passing game without a coach.

 

Dead period is still last week of June and first week of July.

 

Teams can then practice 15 days without pads and have 7on7 for 10 days following the dead period.

 

Practice in pads begins the Monday of the week of August 1.

[McNine4MVP]

I'm merely just a fan who has not played in about a decade (jeez, I suddenly feel old) and doesn't have kids yet. I love the game, but I have never paid a whole lot of attention to the summer workouts part of it. But, from what little I have seen and know, I've not found a coach that has had any issues if a kid goes on vacation for a week. Now, if he doesn't show up for a month or all summer, then that is a different story, but even most coaches I know take a vacation during the summer.

 

Am I completely wrong on this? This seems to be the pro-dead period folks' biggest argument - that coaches frown upon kids taking a week off to go on a vacation. I mean, are there more coaches that I realize who fall into this category?

 

 

That's my point. I have never played for a coach that would frown upon a player taking a family vacation in June and early July. We just used to have to make up any workouts that you missed past a certain number (I think we had five excused absenses, and after that you had to make up what you missed). Most of these coaches have families as well, and try to get away when they can for a week or two. Now, have I seen coaches flip when a guy was gone for a month, YES, but those are issues that need to be dealt with before the Summer even starts so there is no confusion, especially if its a joint custody situation or something like that.

 

And if you have a coach that is going to hold playing another sport competitively or traveling within reason against your kid, he's not a very good family guy to begin with, and your program should get a better coach. I just hate that coaches and players that work hard are being restricted from doing exactly that.

[Quack4]

I just read this article on tennessean.com and figured I would see what's going on in here. I agree with McNine (my old teammate that I still don't know who he is, although I have a great idea now) on the fact that Mr. Carter probably would be better served allowing more time for 7 on 7 work. I can remember 10 years ago (can't believe that I am this old already) that I got a lot out of the old Southern Sports Medicine passing leagues at McGavock and Overton. I was just an average player that gained a lot of confidence and experience with the passing leagues.

 

I'm for whatever keeps youngsters off the internet, off the XBOX (even though I love it too in moderation....going to get NCAA 2008 as soon as I get off the clock), and keep them occupied through the summer. Man, I remember us playing football all day in the asphalt in Antioch when we were kids and now these kids are homebodies. I know that an idle mind is the devil's playground and these kids today need structure, because so many of them don't get it at home.