TSSAA Rules

[diamondstud10]

Perhaps I misunderstand, but the intent of the rules are to prevent overzealous coaches from mandating practicies and activities during certain times of the year. The rules are not designed to prevent a player from improving on his own or at any of the various "academies" that offer cages, pitching tunnels, etc.

 

I agree with your statement that in many cases a high school player can receive better instruction from one of these type places than they can at school. Many former minor league and college players offer instruction at these facilities. TSSAA cannot prevent a player from working to improve on their own at any time during the year. Its always a good time to get better.

 

 

What about the kids who cannot afford to pay to hit or get instruction? I think the restrictions are ridiculous.

[ksgovols]

Right. Are these type facilities located in convenient locations across the state or do athletes in more urbanized areas have more access than those that don't?

 

I think we're fooling ourselves if we think that athletes aren't going to work on their sport during the off season. Some areas have more availability than others and basketball and football are allowed to take away from traditional baseball seasons in the summer with their high school coach. Baseball shares their traditional season with the other 2 sports but I don't see any reciprocation during football and basketball season. That's besides having the shortest high school season of the big 3.

 

Another thing that's always bothered me is that a basketball player can work on his shot, which is the skill that's going to get him more playing time, scholarship looks, etc., alone and the football player can lift weights to get bigger and stronger all year round while there isn't any way the average baseball player can work alone on the one skill that is arguably the hardest thing to do in all of sports without purchasing lessons or a pitching machine.

Edited January 4, 2011 by ksgovols

[CoffeeBreak]

Right. Are these type facilities located in convenient locations across the state or do athletes in more urbanized areas have more access than those that don't?

 

I think we're fooling ourselves if we think that athletes aren't going to work on their sport during the off season. Some areas have more availability than others and basketball and football are allowed to take away from traditional baseball seasons in the summer with their high school coach. Baseball shares their traditional season with the other 2 sports but I don't see any reciprocation during football and basketball season. That's besides having the shortest high school season of the big 3.

 

Another thing that's always bothered me is that a basketball player can work on his shot, which is the skill that's going to get him more playing time, scholarship looks, etc., alone and the football player can lift weights to get bigger and stronger all year round while there isn't any way the average baseball player can work alone on the one skill that is arguably the hardest thing to do in all of sports without purchasing lessons or a pitching machine.

 

Agree. You can add to the list that once you start talking scholarships a baseball scholarship is the worst scholarship you can get at the NCAA level (due to Title IX, I suppose). Football gets 85 (i.e., all the way down to 4th string); Basketball gets 13 (i.e., more than half way through the 3rd string); Baseball gets 11.7 (if you count your week-end pitching rotation that is not even all the way though first string). The kids that work hard in the off season to improve and possible earn a college scholarship do it because they love playing the game of baseball.

[ksgovols]

But, there's probably more scholarships given (albeit partial ones) to kids in Tennessee than the other 2 sports. Baseball is the red headed step child to some degree because it doesn't produce the revenue the other 2 sports do by and large. Still, if we're talking about fair, basketball and football shouldn't be able to infringe upon baseball's summer season without reciprocation in the Fall or Winter. Allowing kids to swing a bat in the wintertime seems like the least they could do.

[highandinside]

But, there's probably more scholarships given (albeit partial ones) to kids in Tennessee than the other 2 sports. Baseball is the red headed step child to some degree because it doesn't produce the revenue the other 2 sports do by and large. Still, if we're talking about fair, basketball and football shouldn't be able to infringe upon baseball's summer season without reciprocation in the Fall or Winter. Allowing kids to swing a bat in the wintertime seems like the least they could do.

Kids can swing the bats in the winter time, They just can't swing their bats during the "dead period" with their high school coach watching or giving instruction. My son has played "Open League" baseball since he was 7 years old and always worked during the winter months swinging and throwing. But when they get to the high school level, Only the high school coaches must refrain during dead periods. The kids can do whatever they wish by themselves.

[ksgovols]

I guess my point is if they're going to swing the bats anyway, wouldn't you rather have the coach or a guy giving hitting lessons do the instructing rather than them doing it on their own? And if most of them are swinging the bats anyway, why does the TSSAA care if the coach is watching?

[shakinthefat]

I guess my point is if they're going to swing the bats anyway, wouldn't you rather have the coach or a guy giving hitting lessons do the instructing rather than them doing it on their own? And if most of them are swinging the bats anyway, why does the TSSAA care if the coach is watching?

 

It's a CONTROL issue for the TSSAA.

[ksgovols]

I'd say swinging a bat is 'conditioning'. It's at least muscle memory conditioning.

 

Oh and it's not just the dead period where they aren't supposed to be swinging bats. It's also in the open facilities periods.

[Ozman35]

You can swing bats in open facilities; however, the coach cannot throw batting practice or teach swing technique or coach the players.

[ksgovols]

Right. My mistake. It's the weight and conditioning period where sport specific activities can't take place. The August to December part of the calendar. January is open facilities with no coaching.

[Hoganknows]

Baseball and softball players are hitting in cages all over this state now...you think they are going to stop just cause their coach comes walking in...heck no.

TSSAA is out of step with their rules and regulations...just look at football and the Z Plan and you can see where Hogan is coming from...The T$$AA seems to be about something other than the players and parents.

[glock22]

The TSSAA is about money and power.

 

Always have been, always will be.