High School Softball should be moved to the fall

[purplemonster]

Well my opinion is that it should be moved to the Fall of the year.

 

1st - Too many weather related cancellations. Move Volleyball (an inside sport) to the Spring.

 

2nd - More College coaches would be able to see High School games.

 

Most schools start classes in the 2nd week of August. First practice could be August 10th 2009 and first game would then be September 10th 2009.

 

Growing pains??? Oh yes, there would be many growing pains. However, if it was done this year, you could go ahead and play this spring and then start back up this fall. No need to skip a 18 months.

 

WAIT!!!

 

I'm not suggesting it be changed this year. But, it could be planned and completed by the fall of 2010.

 

It basically comes down to one thing. What is best for the kids and the sport?

 

Just like a couple of pennies... My 2 cents worth...

[stlbrd]

Well my opinion is that it should be moved to the Fall of the year.

 

1st - Too many weather related cancellations. Move Volleyball (an inside sport) to the Spring.

 

2nd - More College coaches would be able to see High School games.

 

Most schools start classes in the 2nd week of August. First practice could be August 10th 2009 and first game would then be September 10th 2009.

 

Growing pains??? Oh yes, there would be many growing pains. However, if it was done this year, you could go ahead and play this spring and then start back up this fall. No need to skip a 18 months.

 

WAIT!!!

 

I'm not suggesting it be changed this year. But, it could be planned and completed by the fall of 2010.

 

It basically comes down to one thing. What is best for the kids and the sport?

 

Just like a couple of pennies... My 2 cents worth...

 

You're beating a dead horse.................problem is that it makes TOO MUCH sense for the TSSAA to move it. Volleyball or Soccer could be moved. There have been several threads about this over the years and it seems like EVERYBODY wants to move it except those who actually CAN move it. Georgia does it and their season is over in mid October. Go figure.........................

[MrNoitAll]

You're beating a dead horse.................problem is that it makes TOO MUCH sense for the TSSAA to move it. Volleyball or Soccer could be moved. There have been several threads about this over the years and it seems like EVERYBODY wants to move it except those who actually CAN move it. Georgia does it and their season is over in mid October. Go figure.........................

 

 

 

'birdman" you are so smart, it makes me so happy to have a smart rich friend who does not live in the trailer park and able to talk to us rednecks here in Middle Tennessee and share his wisdom! You are my hero! /flower.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":flower:" border="0" alt="flower.gif" />

[tnfisher]

I'd be all for it. I don't see any reason Volleyball couldn't move to the spring. Soon as basketball is over, bring out the nets. You'd see more resistance from soccer as there are lots of kids who play both soccer and softball and there are lots of schools with only one soccer coach who coaches both girls and boys soccer.

 

Again, it makes too much sense. Weather would be fantastic and the girls would be coming right out of summer ball. Perfect!

[jtk]

You're beating a dead horse.................problem is that it makes TOO MUCH sense for the TSSAA to move it. Volleyball or Soccer could be moved. There have been several threads about this over the years and it seems like EVERYBODY wants to move it except those who actually CAN move it. Georgia does it and their season is over in mid October. Go figure.........................

 

Ditto...this is a no brainer.

[dore83]

Moving softball to the fall would be an intelligent idea. As others have noted, those of us involved in softball, especially travel, have long supported a move. In addition to Georgia, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma also now play high school softball in the fall. I am not one who normally defends TSSAA, but is it possible that even though all of us in the softball world talk about this every year, TSSAA has not considered a change because they have never been presented with a proposal to change? That might not be the case. For all I know, it has been presented formally several times and rejected, but I don't ever recall seeing it on a Board of Control agenda.

 

My guess is that given what many of us interpret as obvious animosity toward travel ball during the Carter era, anything which would seem to help travel softball would be rejected without hesitation. But, if it hasn't been presented to them, I really doubt that they have even thought about it.

 

Even though there are a lot of people who enjoy high school softball, there is a growing number of players and parents who are very open to alternatives in the spring. For several years now, I've considered putting together a team of high school aged players and traveling to Dalton, Atlanta, Marietta, etc. a couple of times a month for travel tournaments. Obviously, that would remove those players from high school softball as they would not be eligible. Every time it comes up, my email and voice mail fills up with people who want their daughter to be considered if I were to do that. My gut feeling is that once the first "spring" team is put together, several others will quickly follow suit. I didn't really bring it up this year, but I still got a ton of emails and phone calls during January from people asking if I was going to do it. Interestingly enough, once the first practices began this year, I started getting calls again... and since the first scrimmages and play days have started, I'm getting even more calls. There is a lot of frustration with high school ball out there. The advantages to those players, playing that level of competition would be significant, and it might be a catalyst for TSSAA to seriously consider a move to the fall. Who knows.

 

As far as college coaches coming to high school games if the season was moved to the fall, I don't know how valid that argument is. While it would be easier for them to come to a fall game instead of one in the spring because of their collegiate schedule, there are two main reasons why college coaches don't show up at high school games and conflicts with their practice/game schedule isn't one of the two.

 

The NCAA places a limit on the number of evaluation days each staff is allowed every year. If a coach shows up at a high school game, they get to see 20ish players from two teams play one game (and they are probably only interested in one player) and it counts as one evaluation day. If they show up at an exposure and watch games at 8, 10, 12, 2, 4, 6, and 8, it counts as one evaluation day. 280 players from 14 teams (many of which are legitimate recruits) - and they can easily double that number by watching 2 games on adjacent fields or changing fields at the mid point of each time block. Far more bang for the buck so to speak. Additionally, the level of competition at the high school level makes it difficult for a coach to accurately evaluate players. There are certain marquee games where top high school teams with a lot of travel ball players face off against each other, but generally speaking that doesn't occur very often, and even then, it doesn't come close to comparing to what they see at a Gold qualifier or a decent exposure.

 

There are a lot of states where many of the top players no longer play high school ball, and there are a growing number of signees and verbal commitments from players who bypassed high school ball. There is a trend in that direction, and I expect it to continue. A valid alternative to spring high school ball might be the catalyst TSSAA needs to wake up and make a logical change.

 

Anyway, I doubt that some TSSAA executive is just going to wake up one morning and think "Hey, wouldn't it be smart to move softball to the fall. Let's see if we can do it." And if they are reading boards like this one, I'd guess they are looking for people bashing (or supporting) TSSAA and are not out here seeking intelligent ideas on how to improve high school softball in Tennessee, unfortunately.

[thundercatch21]

Very well spoken.

[tnfisher]

Great post Dore.

 

FWIW, I'm a football coach who also attempts to coach a little softball. I have heard it said that there are too many football coaches coaching softball to move it to the fall. I love football, but it would take about two seconds for me to give it up for softball in the fall. Could start practice Aug 1 with all of the other fall sports. Begin games last week of August and play thru first week or two of October. District tourneys could start the 2nd or 3rd week of October then the state tourney the last week of October or first of November. October is usually the driest month of the year and it's usually well into November before any real cold sets in.

 

I'm not sure when the travel ball usually stops in the fall, but any time that might be cut off by school ball in the fall could more than be made up for by starting it earlier in the spring.

[coachcap]

I see no oposition to the move and everyone has reasonable points. Let me just say this, your dealing with a bureaucracy in the TSSAA and with any bureaucracy it takes a large and coordinated act of the people to motivate them to any such action involving actual work on their part. This would need a large scale petition and interest on the part of coaches, schools and parents to get this accomplished. Enough said on that portion...

 

Coaches at high school games? Dore 83 has it right... Its simply not happening unless they can see a number of prospects on two well coached teams. They can see a much broader array of talent just by attending a couple travel tournaments or holding camps where players, who are interested, come to them. I would think a few may be motivated to attend regionals or state if your team has what it takes to get that far. Otherwise travel is where it's at.

 

As far as bypassing HS ball, that's true in conversations around the scene, especially amoung those seeking high level, D1 or Olympic play (hopefully will have the later again one day). I personally wouldn't want to cheat my daughter out of the memories of playing with her HS team. Although, I agree sometimes you just have too based on the coaching that's out there. Not everyone can attend schools with competitive traditions in their chossen sport.

 

I'm just glad the sport continues to be relevant. I for one would like to see it moved to the fall, if it happens great, not going to loose sleep over it though.

[purplemonster]

Yes indeed,

 

Very good post Dore.

 

I can understand and do agree about the NCAA restriction.

 

I would like to see the TSSAA move softball to fall.

 

Surely there's a way the "Softball Community" of the state of Tennessee could make a request to the TSSAA.

 

With the sport of Softball growing like it is, it a shame it's starting to die in out high schools.

[jtk]

Yes indeed,

 

Very good post Dore.

 

I can understand and do agree about the NCAA restriction.

 

I would like to see the TSSAA move softball to fall.

 

Surely there's a way the "Softball Community" of the state of Tennessee could make a request to the TSSAA.

 

With the sport of Softball growing like it is, it a shame it's starting to die in out high schools.

 

The TSSAA is having a changing of the guard this summer. Might be a good time to propose the move to fall. I guess we could start with our school's Athletic Directors. Any idea's?

[larry]

Moving softball to the fall would be an intelligent idea. As others have noted, those of us involved in softball, especially travel, have long supported a move. In addition to Georgia, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma also now play high school softball in the fall. I am not one who normally defends TSSAA, but is it possible that even though all of us in the softball world talk about this every year, TSSAA has not considered a change because they have never been presented with a proposal to change? That might not be the case. For all I know, it has been presented formally several times and rejected, but I don't ever recall seeing it on a Board of Control agenda.

 

My guess is that given what many of us interpret as obvious animosity toward travel ball during the Carter era, anything which would seem to help travel softball would be rejected without hesitation. But, if it hasn't been presented to them, I really doubt that they have even thought about it.

 

Even though there are a lot of people who enjoy high school softball, there is a growing number of players and parents who are very open to alternatives in the spring. For several years now, I've considered putting together a team of high school aged players and traveling to Dalton, Atlanta, Marietta, etc. a couple of times a month for travel tournaments. Obviously, that would remove those players from high school softball as they would not be eligible. Every time it comes up, my email and voice mail fills up with people who want their daughter to be considered if I were to do that. My gut feeling is that once the first "spring" team is put together, several others will quickly follow suit. I didn't really bring it up this year, but I still got a ton of emails and phone calls during January from people asking if I was going to do it. Interestingly enough, once the first practices began this year, I started getting calls again... and since the first scrimmages and play days have started, I'm getting even more calls. There is a lot of frustration with high school ball out there. The advantages to those players, playing that level of competition would be significant, and it might be a catalyst for TSSAA to seriously consider a move to the fall. Who knows.

 

As far as college coaches coming to high school games if the season was moved to the fall, I don't know how valid that argument is. While it would be easier for them to come to a fall game instead of one in the spring because of their collegiate schedule, there are two main reasons why college coaches don't show up at high school games and conflicts with their practice/game schedule isn't one of the two.

 

The NCAA places a limit on the number of evaluation days each staff is allowed every year. If a coach shows up at a high school game, they get to see 20ish players from two teams play one game (and they are probably only interested in one player) and it counts as one evaluation day. If they show up at an exposure and watch games at 8, 10, 12, 2, 4, 6, and 8, it counts as one evaluation day. 280 players from 14 teams (many of which are legitimate recruits) - and they can easily double that number by watching 2 games on adjacent fields or changing fields at the mid point of each time block. Far more bang for the buck so to speak. Additionally, the level of competition at the high school level makes it difficult for a coach to accurately evaluate players. There are certain marquee games where top high school teams with a lot of travel ball players face off against each other, but generally speaking that doesn't occur very often, and even then, it doesn't come close to comparing to what they see at a Gold qualifier or a decent exposure.

 

There are a lot of states where many of the top players no longer play high school ball, and there are a growing number of signees and verbal commitments from players who bypassed high school ball. There is a trend in that direction, and I expect it to continue. A valid alternative to spring high school ball might be the catalyst TSSAA needs to wake up and make a logical change.

 

Anyway, I doubt that some TSSAA executive is just going to wake up one morning and think "Hey, wouldn't it be smart to move softball to the fall. Let's see if we can do it." And if they are reading boards like this one, I'd guess they are looking for people bashing (or supporting) TSSAA and are not out here seeking intelligent ideas on how to improve high school softball in Tennessee, unfortunately.

 

Why not just play travel ball through October? Weather is good and college coaches could come see all of those players at one place during their off-season