Offseason open gyms

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Mar 29, 2017
155
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I was previously a coach for another sport in another state. I now live in PA. Anyway, at my previous school, we were not allowed to have contact with the players, as coaches, during the off season. We were allowed to have open gyms, but the captains had to run the practice.

My question is, how much interaction can be had at the high school and middle school levels for softball in Pa? Our school currently has practice at least once a week. They are running the practices just like regular practice. While they say that the practices are optional, I have a strong feeling that they are looking at the attendance of the practices while conducting tryouts. Its also obvious that there are favorites, but that's another story.
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,855
113
Can't speak for Pa. In our situation, during our open gyms, the coaches sit in a corner and make sure that all work is safe. Players already know the drills to do and they pair up with their partners from the previous year. They set up some 8 stations or more depending upon how many players show up. We do not have any practice. Note, while I am a HS coach, I can also get paid to do my private lessons and with my HS players. When I give lessons, I do my best to have players from other school in lessons as well.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Not sure I would trust any info you get here for specific state rules and regulations. I would suggest asking some of your local HS coaches, or checking online to see if there is a website with rules pertaining to PA. Good luck!
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
I was previously a coach for another sport in another state. I now live in PA. Anyway, at my previous school, we were not allowed to have contact with the players, as coaches, during the off season. We were allowed to have open gyms, but the captains had to run the practice.

My question is, how much interaction can be had at the high school and middle school levels for softball in Pa? Our school currently has practice at least once a week. They are running the practices just like regular practice. While they say that the practices are optional, I have a strong feeling that they are looking at the attendance of the practices while conducting tryouts. Its also obvious that there are favorites, but that's another story.

From what I have read on here, it does seem that PA rules are slightly different then some other states. One thing you will see quite regularly in PA is travel teams that are coached by high school head coaches or assistant coaches and have numerous high school players on those same teams. It is my understanding that this is not permitted in other states. So, at least in those cases, the coaches have a great deal of off season interaction with some of the players. Open gyms get a little trickier... DD's high school just recently started their fall open gyms. The coaching staff is not present for these. They are run by the captains and monitored by one of the football coaches. This time of year is strictly strength and conditioning / speed and agility. They won't even touch a softball during these workouts. As far as attendance goes... Technically the coaches should not be keeping track of this, but thinking that no coaches do would be a little naive. In our case, role is not taken, but the football coach does report certain things to the softball coach concerning disciplinary issues. For example, last week there was an issue between two of the players that resulted in a shouting match that was eventually broken up by this coach. I can guarantee you that this incident will get back to the softball coach.

As JAD stated, your best best is to review the regulations for yourself. The link below will take you to the PIAA eligibility rules. But if you go to the resources tab on that page, you can find the actual PIAA handbook. There is a great deal of information in that.

https://www.piaa.org/schools/eligibility/
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,855
113
Not sure I would trust any info you get here for specific state rules and regulations. I would suggest asking some of your local HS coaches, or checking online to see if there is a website with rules pertaining to PA. Good luck!

Every school's AD in my state is also the school's representative to the state organization. Therefore, the AD should always be able to get on the phone and ask for clarification That is what we did when I was giving lessons. We received a great outline for our state's rules and then, my AD told me to stay within those regulations. Easy enough when you have them outlined.
 
Sep 21, 2017
230
43
PA
I was previously a coach for another sport in another state. I now live in PA. Anyway, at my previous school, we were not allowed to have contact with the players, as coaches, during the off season. We were allowed to have open gyms, but the captains had to run the practice.

My question is, how much interaction can be had at the high school and middle school levels for softball in Pa? Our school currently has practice at least once a week. They are running the practices just like regular practice. While they say that the practices are optional, I have a strong feeling that they are looking at the attendance of the practices while conducting tryouts. Its also obvious that there are favorites, but that's another story.

I come from a situation exactly the same as yours. The following is from the PIAA website concerning Out-of-Season Participation:

All PIAA sports have a defined season. If your school Team conducts Practice and/or participates in Inter-School Practices, Scrimmages, and/or Contests outside that PIAA defined season, your school will be penalized.

If you desire to play interscholastic football for a PIAA member school, and you engage in Physical Contact (as that term is defined in ARTICLE XVI, SEASON AND OUT-OF-SEASON RULES AND REGULATIONS, Section 2, Rules and Regulations, subsection C, Football, sub-subsection 1, of the PIAA By-Laws) outside the PIAA-defined football season, you will be ineligible to participate in interscholastic football for a period up to one year from the date of such participation.


That's it...3 sentences. I couldn't believe it when I moved here 4 years ago. I came from a state where out-of-season, we had 25 contact days for softball that coaches were allowed to instruct. Here in PA, as long as it isn't inter-school related, knock yourself out. But they must not be mandatory.

Another thing that shocked me, though I love, are the allowed inter-school scrimmages.
 
Last edited:
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
I come from a situation exactly the same as yours. The following is from the PIAA website concerning Out-of-Season Participation:

All PIAA sports have a defined season. If your school Team conducts Practice and/or participates in Inter-School Practices, Scrimmages, and/or Contests outside that PIAA defined season, your school will be penalized.

If you desire to play interscholastic football for a PIAA member school, and you engage in Physical Contact (as that term is defined in ARTICLE XVI, SEASON AND OUT-OF-SEASON RULES AND REGULATIONS, Section 2, Rules and Regulations, subsection C, Football, sub-subsection 1, of the PIAA By-Laws) outside the PIAA-defined football season, you will be ineligible to participate in interscholastic football for a period up to one year from the date of such participation.


That's it...3 sentences. I couldn't believe it when I moved here 4 years ago. I came from a state where out-of-season, we had 25 contact days for softball that coaches were allowed to instruct. Here in PA, as long as it isn't inter-school related, knock yourself out. But they must not be mandatory.

Another thing that shocked me, though I love, are the allowed inter-school scrimmages.

I looked up the PA rule and I think you’re misinterpreting this. The first sentence means they WILL be penalized for holding any out of season practices, whether inter school or not. The football quote refers to physical contact, which is blocking or contact with pads, not coach contact. Or maybe you accidentally copied the wrong section.

From the PIAA Handbook: Schools may NOT hold practices out of season. Coaches MAY train or coach non-school teams as private citizens provided no school players are required to participate.
See ARTICLE XVI SEASON AND OUT-OF-SEASON RULES AND REGULATIONS

https://www.piaa.org/assets/web/documents/Handbook - Section I - Constitution and By-laws.pdf
 

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