High School Softball should be moved to the fall

[coachcap]

The biggest, el numero uno reason is the weather.

 

1) Cold - Coaches with or without indoor facilities are practicing in it trying to get the "edge" which can lead to many tendon related injuries if players don't dress and warm up properly.

 

2) Rain - We already have rain outs, the first tourney's already rained out and the second partially rained out.

 

3) TSSAA - They currently won't allow more than 5 players from the same school to play tournament ball on the same team during the fall school season. Their point is lost on me, other than to dumb down the stronger districts but if this were a fall sport it would mesh better with leagues and private summer programs.

 

4) Offseason - We would finally have a real off season Mid November through at least April... Whoo Hoo! It seems now we get about 2 months, Nov. and Dec.

 

Hey I'm all for this... but I'm sure their are reasons I'm not aware of for this being a spring sport?

[metman08]

Certainly there are Hs where there might only be 5 girls that really want to be there but I think there are HS where everyone of the girls is super committed. I have seen both types of programs.

I guess I am still up in the air on whether moving the sport to the fall is best for the "sport" or best for certain players. I also wonder about motives of "keep it in the spring" camp as well. It seems to me there is still an underlying sense that HS has become useless to some people and that summer league ball is where players should be focusing all there efforts. I wonder if this is also best for the game of softball. But I might be bringing up some things that no one else sees as issues. I wish I could say that I am 100% sure of the answer but I honestly do not know.

 

 

 

This is all a good idea, but what do you do when the smaller schools where the majority of the girls are in the band and they practice everyday of the week so they can be prepared for the weekend competitions. What percentage of the girls would go on to play ball compared to the number that would use the music part to go to college, and where the music is a grade in school. Let's remember that softball is extra and band goes against their gpa.

[stlbrd]

This is all a good idea, but what do you do when the smaller schools where the majority of the girls are in the band and they practice everyday of the week so they can be prepared for the weekend competitions. What percentage of the girls would go on to play ball compared to the number that would use the music part to go to college, and where the music is a grade in school. Let's remember that softball is extra and band goes against their gpa.

 

What?!?!!?

[URSUS]

This is all a good idea, but what do you do when the smaller schools where the majority of the girls are in the band and they practice everyday of the week so they can be prepared for the weekend competitions. What percentage of the girls would go on to play ball compared to the number that would use the music part to go to college, and where the music is a grade in school. Let's remember that softball is extra and band goes against their gpa.

 

 

At smaller schools I am sure that is a potential problem. In terms of school related activities I think there are potentially more conflicts with softball being in the fall than in in the spring. In the fall you would compete with soccer, volleyball, cross country and to some extent band. And don't be surprised if there are not a few basketball coaches that would be less than thrilled at the prospect of not having some of there players for conditioning and the 1st practices/games.

 

In the spring softball is competing with track. Although in 5 years I think lacrosse will become a tssaa sanctioned sport as opposed to a club sport and could be added to the spring school sports conflict list.

To be honest I don't suppose there is a time now that any sport can operate without conflict. Consider fall ball softball, fall league lacrosse, fall marching band, spring AAU basketball, spring club volleyball, summer league softball, summer basketball practices and camps, etc.

 

I can see advantages to both spring softball and fall softball but I think the decision has some pretty far reaching effects on a lot of programs and people. And once again this is only my opinion.

[bluefan23]

The biggest, el numero uno reason is the weather.

 

1) Cold - Coaches with or without indoor facilities are practicing in it trying to get the "edge" which can lead to many tendon related injuries if players don't dress and warm up properly.

 

2) Rain - We already have rain outs, the first tourney's already rained out and the second partially rained out.

 

3) TSSAA - They currently won't allow more than 5 players from the same school to play tournament ball on the same team during the fall school season. Their point is lost on me, other than to dumb down the stronger districts but if this were a fall sport it would mesh better with leagues and private summer programs.

 

4) Offseason - We would finally have a real off season Mid November through at least April... Whoo Hoo! It seems now we get about 2 months, Nov. and Dec.

 

Hey I'm all for this... but I'm sure their are reasons I'm not aware of for this being a spring sport?

 

I am a travel ball head coach and an assistant coach in a middle school program. We are from a small community and the 50% rule will get us by next year.. Right now just about all of my players are considering skipping school ball (middle) next year and a couple are considering skipping their freshman year to get on with the more competitive travel ball where all the looks are at.

Moving school ball to the fall would very much help in keeping most girls in school ball. As far a how many are serious out there will still be the same.

[catchman]

Certainly there are Hs where there might only be 5 girls that really want to be there but I think there are HS where everyone of the girls is super committed. I have seen both types of programs.

I guess I am still up in the air on whether moving the sport to the fall is best for the "sport" or best for certain players. I also wonder about motives of "keep it in the spring" camp as well. It seems to me there is still an underlying sense that HS has become useless to some people and that summer league ball is where players should be focusing all there efforts. I wonder if this is also best for the game of softball. But I might be bringing up some things that no one else sees as issues. I wish I could say that I am 100% sure of the answer but I honestly do not know.

 

 

I am like most of the coaches, I really have not decided which season would be best. I know there are a lot of the play days are rained out, Seem like every year either Beech or HHS play days gets rained out. If the ball season was changed to the fall then the girls would come from travel ball right into School ball. That may make the High school teams better, I guess TSSAA will decided [ if it is ever brought up to them ] then we will have to work with it.

[tigercoach63]

Why do Colleges not play in the Fall?If one's reason to move TSSAA to Fall is to help College bound player's,consider they will be playing in Spring in College.

[JimmyBuffett]

Most decisions by T$$aa involves how much money it makes them not what is best for the kids or the sport.

[bluefan23]

Most decisions by T$$aa involves how much money it makes them not what is best for the kids or the sport.

 

Very true, but if they would have a hard look at it they would see that it would put more money in their pockets. Less rain outs = more gate money.

The other thing is that seniors would not have to miss out on alot of their senior activities at the end of the year.

[bigchief]

The TSSAA does not get any "gate money" from any regular season games. The schools keep all of it. Only post season tournaments give money to the TSSAA and they are never rained out completely. You have to finish them.

 

Also, if it was not softball players missing out on senior activities, it would be volleyball players, or soccer players or track runners or tennis players or baseball players. Get the point? Everybody on here is talking about the TSSAA doing what is best, but they have to do what is best for EVERY athlete involved, not just softball. If you move softball to the fall then you have to move soccer to the spring. Only thing is , boys soccer is in the spring so you would have two different soccer teams trying to use the same soccer field. OK so move the boys soccer to the fall. Well then you get in the way of football. It is a circle that you cannot solve to please everyone.

 

Guys, hate to bust the bubble for ya' , but that will never happen because football is the only real money-maker the TSSAA has. Why do you think a sport with 2/3 the number of teams participating had 8 divisions last year compared to 3 for basketball/baseball/softball? Anyone who says they will not move softball because of money is delusional. They have NEVER made any kind of money off of softball (or baseball/track/tennis/ soccer etc.) If it was only about money then the TSSAA would only sanction football and everything else would be outside of school. That is the truth.

 

Every parent wants their kid's (or their own) passion to be at the top of the list, but there is no way to make it equitable for all sports. If you are that worried that your child will not be in the 1% that is a recipient of a partial softball scholarship, then by all means just play travel ball.

 

However, I challenge you to add up all the money you spent on equipment, travel, lessons, fundraisers etc. over the 12 years leading up to that partial scholarship and compare it to the 1/3 off you will get on tuition. I bet you are still on the short end. Enjoy the opportunity to play the sport you love, but understand that with specificity comes a price. You will lose out on something else somewhere. The law of give and take is always present.

 

Am I against travel ball? Absolutely not. My son is playing it now. However, I feel sorry for some parents who lose all perspective of real life.

[dore83]

Why do Colleges not play in the Fall?If one's reason to move TSSAA to Fall is to help College bound player's,consider they will be playing in Spring in College.

 

There are a lot of college coaches who want to move softball to the fall. They are sick of all the travel costs (bus/flight, hotel, meals, etc.) wasted because of inclement weather cancellations after they travel in the early spring. But, getting something changed in TSSAA is a cakewalk compared to getting something changed in the NCAA, and football rules everything. The only collegiate benefit to playing collegiate softball in the spring is that incoming freshmen get five months to develop with fall ball and off season individuals.

[TBALLEXPERT]

The TSSAA does not get any "gate money" from any regular season games. The schools keep all of it. Only post season tournaments give money to the TSSAA and they are never rained out completely. You have to finish them.

 

Also, if it was not softball players missing out on senior activities, it would be volleyball players, or soccer players or track runners or tennis players or baseball players. Get the point? Everybody on here is talking about the TSSAA doing what is best, but they have to do what is best for EVERY athlete involved, not just softball. If you move softball to the fall then you have to move soccer to the spring. Only thing is , boys soccer is in the spring so you would have two different soccer teams trying to use the same soccer field. OK so move the boys soccer to the fall. Well then you get in the way of football. It is a circle that you cannot solve to please everyone.

 

Guys, hate to bust the bubble for ya' , but that will never happen because football is the only real money-maker the TSSAA has. Why do you think a sport with 2/3 the number of teams participating had 8 divisions last year compared to 3 for basketball/baseball/softball? Anyone who says they will not move softball because of money is delusional. They have NEVER made any kind of money off of softball (or baseball/track/tennis/ soccer etc.) If it was only about money then the TSSAA would only sanction football and everything else would be outside of school. That is the truth.

 

Every parent wants their kid's (or their own) passion to be at the top of the list, but there is no way to make it equitable for all sports. If you are that worried that your child will not be in the 1% that is a recipient of a partial softball scholarship, then by all means just play travel ball.

 

However, I challenge you to add up all the money you spent on equipment, travel, lessons, fundraisers etc. over the 12 years leading up to that partial scholarship and compare it to the 1/3 off you will get on tuition. I bet you are still on the short end. Enjoy the opportunity to play the sport you love, but understand that with specificity comes a price. You will lose out on something else somewhere. The law of give and take is always present.

 

Am I against travel ball? Absolutely not. My son is playing it now. However, I feel sorry for some parents who lose all perspective of real life.

 

 

 

Very,Very well said. /flower.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":flower:" border="0" alt="flower.gif" />