California High School/Travel Ball rules

Hi,

I coach my daughter's rec league travel ball team in California. Many of our players including my daughter are starting high school this year. I know there's rules about not playing on travel ball teams while the high school season is going on. Does anyone know where the exact rules governing this are located? I'd like to understand key dates, when/if we can practice, .....

Thanks.

I would check the website of the CIF section you live in. Basically once HS practices can start, you can't take part in any games, friendlies, or scrimmages with other teams during the High School season. In the Central Coast Section that date is Jan 28th.

CIF-Central Coast Section

Doing a quick look, I couldn't find the rule on practicing during the HS season, but in past years, travel teams would practice on Sundays.

Dabears17 said:

I would check the website of the CIF section you live in. Basically once HS practices can start, you can't take part in any games, friendlies, or scrimmages with other teams during the High School season. In the Central Coast Section that date is Jan 28th.

CIF-Central Coast Section

Doing a quick look, I couldn't find the rule on practicing during the HS season, but in past years, travel teams would practice on Sundays.

Click to expand...

This ^^^

I believe practices are okay, as long as they aren't scrimmage games.

EDIT: Occasionally, you will see "dark" teams. These are players who aren't playing HS ball.

ok so basically how it operates as this. Here in SoCal we HS have softball in starting in 2nd week of Feb. With that, my dd travel team will more likely "go dark" end of Jan. Yes you can practice with your travel team on Sundays as long as you dont have a "official umpire" working the scrimmage game then you are ok. However travel teams will use the term "workout" as a glorified word for "practice." As long as its on a Sunday you are ok.

As EricF mentioned if your dd is not doing HS softball ball then she can pretty much do what she wants. Travel ball, or any other sports if she is able to .

dgh31 said:

I coach my daughter's rec league travel ball team in California. Many of our players including my daughter are starting high school this year. I know there's rules about not playing on travel ball teams while the high school season is going on. Does anyone know where the exact rules governing this are located? I'd like to understand key dates, when/if we can practice, .....

Click to expand...

If your DD's high school team is any good and she makes the squad, forget having her practice for travel during the HS season. It is a lot of time commitment and a lot of softball - they don't need extra during the weekend even if it is allowed. Same goes for any teammate who has the 'every day practice or game' high school softball coach.

That transition season in second-year 14Uis one of the worst times to keep a team together - you have players who are not in high school so want to practice and play, some in HS who don't make the team or didn't go out for the team so want to practice and play, some that make JV that are somewhat committed depending on the school, some that make varsity but never play and some that make varsity and play a lot. You also have players on great HS teams and some on terrible ones - which also effects commitment level, level of competition, etc, etc...

Also a lot of players, once they play HS don't want to play against non-HS opponents any more.

Either way - good luck.

Thanks for the information/advice. Very helpful.

I did find our CIF site.

CIF-North Coast Section

Looks like our start date is Jan 28 as well. I think what I'll do is schedule a get together once a month on Sunday for like an hour where we just toss the ball around and spend time together. This would be more to keep them feeling like a team and be able to see their friends. We have a couple 8'th grader and freshmen in 5 different high schools so they may not see each other much in the Spring.

Thanks again.

HS is tough. We have a very good team and DD is fully committed to the team. Her HS is exceptionally demanding of her time. On the other hand DD is part of a very strong travel organization that also expects that she hits 1 to 2 nights per week and does a full weekend day practice year round (when not playing in tournaments). HS expects 2 nights per week 2-3 hours each and one weekend day.
Once March hits DD's HS team will go south to FLA or SC for spring training then it's practice 6 nights per week (when not playing games). Her travel coach last year questioned her commitment to the team because his kid (8th grader at the time) was at every hitting practice (6PM and an hour away from where we live) while DD was at HS practice until 6PM.
That's a sure way to lose your #1 pitcher, which is what happened.