Alabama high school softball "outside participation rule"

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Jul 2, 2013
681
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It is not "dirty". Adult coaches volunteering their time to keep a group of young ladies together to make them the best they can be. All within the rules.

I call it honorable.
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
WOW, I never expected this post to generate this much interest. I really appreciate those of you that have provided information on the rules in your state. It is apparent to me from reading all the replies that the experience a "family" has with either a high school team or travel ball team depends on the quality of the teams coaching and administration. I am not against high school sports nor do I believe that every travel ball team is superior. There are good and bad in both areas. Here are a few additional facts that I would like to offer for the groups edification.
I recently made a call to the AHSAA and spoke to an official about this rule. I specifically asked this official why this rule was enacted and to this officials credit he was open and honest with me. He told me that the state coaches organization had lobbied for this rule and that player safety and protection had nothing to do with the implementation of this rule. The coaches were concerned that certain coaches of successful programs were using travel ball practices and tournaments to gain an advantage. In other words a majority of coaches did not want to put in the extra work required to utilize travel ball to their teams full advantage. As a result the high school coaches and administrations that I am involved with on a regular basis have no motivation to provide anything but the minimum amount of resources required to keep their sports programs viable. In our district and probably other districts in Alabama the only government funding provided for athletics is the salary of the coach/teacher and a $2,500/year supplement for the head coach. All uniforms, equipment, facility upkeep, and travel cost ( the team has to pay $1.50/mile if a school bus is used for travel to an away game and $15/hour for a bus driver if the coach does not drive). We also have to pay for all meals and hotel rooms when we travel to the state playoff tournaments. All coaches must fill a teachers position and teach a minimum a 4 classes each day so when a coach decided they no longer want to put up with the long hours and late nights they resign as a coach but because they are tenured still are able to keep their teaching job. Since there is now a coaching vacancy but not a teaching position available a quality coach can not be hired and the coaching job is given to a teacher already employed at the school regardless of his/her qualifications. I would love for my daughter to be able to play for her high school but the team is always disorganized, unprepared, unmotivated and an embarrassment. My daughter hates ever minute she is with this team but I will not allow her to quit. I know from experience that quitting is a slippery slope. Even though my daughter is only 15 she plays on a very successful 18U club team that won their World Series 2 years ago and finished 4th last year. Her club coach is a former college and minor league baseball player who started a baseball and softball training business in our area a few years ago. Playing for him is the exact opposite from her high school coach. He is organized, punctual, prepared and has forgot more about softball then the high school coach ever knew. Every girl that stays with his team gets a college scholarship, and he puts their signing day picture on the wall of his training facility. Through his coaching, my daughter has grown from a pretty good player to an exceptional player. When we go to D1 camps the coaches are amazed that she is only 15. During some of the winter camps we attended in December I asked the coaches how many high school games they attend to scout players. The three coaches from different schools I ask (1 D1 coach, 1 D1 assistant coach and 1 JC head coach) said they are only able to see a couple of girls play high school ball and only then if the game is very close to their campus. They all told me that they do 95% of their recruiting by watching video of girls they are made aware of and by going to travel ball tournaments. So the next question, for those stout souls that just read my rendition of "War and Peace", is, "Given the situation and facts I just explained why would parents continue to waste 4 months of their daughters time on a broken high school program?

Because life isn't all ponies and rainbows. There is a lesson to be learned and maybe an increased appreciation for what she has.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Agreed ... just question absolute statements such as "every" player. I am probably wrong, thank you.

Only to add ... if your player can BALL ... like mine can, scholarships will follow just about every time. No matter if she disregards any big time travel folks, and plays for her local people who really do know what is best to elevate her play.

Scholarships follow great play. Travel can help, so can high school. But great play determines the outcome the vast majority of the time. So whenever a travel coach promises a pig in a poke ... always do what will make your DD the best player.

Big time travel softball prepares players for big time D1 softball. The extra work is looked at very positively by big D1's. I am not denying its value, it exists. But parents must closely evaluate their DD's playing potential, and work ethic.

For my DD, just because of talent, I always knew she would have a team that wanted to pay her for her talent. We have never not been able to find a team to play for. So what happens when young, also happens when college eligible.

Getting a player recruited is certainly possible without going with a big name, high dollar program. In fact most players recruited come from average or above average teams that more or less stay local. You can even get recruited only playing High School ball but it is very difficult. Especially if you want to play for a D1 program. Not because D1 programs will not come to a High School game, but because they can't afford losing an evaluation day on 1 player. Not to mention that most colleges are playing their schedule when High Schools are playing theirs. Things are more relaxed for DII and it is pretty much wide open for DIII, NAIA, and NJCAA. Unless your DD is a stud in the eyes of others and has a legitimate shot at a big D1 program it makes no sense to spend the big dollars.

A player also has to ask themselves if they want to go to Big U and sit, or go somewhere else and as a Freshman and actually see considerable field time. My DD was recruited by some big schools but elected to take a different path for the first 2 years. So far this season she has thrown 149 innings. Would not trade that experience to sit the pine for anyone.
 
Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
It is not "dirty". Adult coaches volunteering their time to keep a group of young ladies together to make them the best they can be. All within the rules.

I call it honorable.

Oh I'm not knocking it. I coached all of our varsity starters since they were 5u rec, into TB. I knew from my youth that's how top HS baseball did it. Our girls were the first ever in the school's 25 year history to make it to state, then they did that 3 years in a row. That probably won't happen again because there is no feeder TB team in sight.

As always I'm just trying to share my experience, there is a game.............behind the scenes of the "game".
 
Mar 26, 2013
1,934
0
Getting a player recruited is certainly possible without going with a big name, high dollar program. In fact most players recruited come from average or above average teams that more or less stay local. You can even get recruited only playing High School ball but it is very difficult. Especially if you want to play for a D1 program. Not because D1 programs will not come to a High School game, but because they can't afford losing an evaluation day on 1 player. Not to mention that most colleges are playing their schedule when High Schools are playing theirs. Things are more relaxed for DII and it is pretty much wide open for DIII, NAIA, and NJCAA. Unless your DD is a stud in the eyes of others and has a legitimate shot at a big D1 program it makes no sense to spend the big dollars.
I agree with most of your post. However, attending a HS game does NOT cost them an evaluation day.
 
Last edited:
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
How is that possible? They are off campus solely for the purpose of the evaluation of a player.

" An evaluation day is defined as one coach engaged in the evaluation of any prospect on one day
(12:01a.m. to midnight)."
 
Last edited:
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Riser your blood pressure must be high as a kite. You get so tightly wound about everything. I never said that. I am talking about the states and districts I am familiar with near me, who are very similar in rules. And surmising that Alabama may be close to our rules with regards to hiring teachers. Good grief.

And yes, I can surmise that any AD around the country wants to win some games in every sport and likes the idea of having multiple candidates for coaching jobs, even in lowly softball. Especially when the evil sport, -------- is not played in the spring and softball gets noticed, like in the deep south.

You comments were not qualified as such in your original post. And yes I have a tendency to get tightly wound when people speak in all encompassing generalities and make claims for which it is impossible for them to have first hand knowledge.
 
Jun 1, 2013
847
18
Bamadad, what private school are you looking at transferring to. Although the regulations in private school are different, depending on which one you go to you may be taking a big step down as far as school ball is concerned.
 

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