Alabama high school softball "outside participation rule"

[riseball]

To be equally as fair, I grew up and played HS BB in a large metro area, about a million too. I was lucky to play for a good program, not sure of their budget back then, but there was an article in the paper last year it's $70,000 now. It was a good experience that I enjoyed.

We now live 20 miles north in a small small town, think it is 5500 now. It is a softball nest. They have 2 REAL NICE softball complexes with 8 fields. They also have 2 other single softball fields. More softball fields than I've ever seen in one " town". The neon signs outside Mcdonalds, Sonic, Dairy Queen don't flash up meal deals...........they flash HS sport schedules, outcomes, and key players accomplishments.

Everyone's HS experience is and will never be the same, I'm glad my DD had a good one.

And I would imagine you have competent coaching in your High School. Maybe a situation where participation by a college bound TB player might actually enhance their skills. In which case I would certainly encourage that player to play HS ball.

Conversely when you have a program with a coach instructing a pitcher to cover 1st base on a bunt, does not have time for pitchers to throw in practice, it makes you wonder if it is worth their time and effort.

 

[fastpitch]

So where does this end? As stated in a previous post their DD will be excused to seek medical care without the knowledge much less the permission of the parent. As parents what other decisions are you willing to defer to the school on the loose premise that is for the collective good?

Kids are allowed to go to planned parenthood or similar on their own as well without telling a parent. You don't want rules yet you don't like them being allowed to seek confidential medical services without a parent being notified? Services which the students can do on their own anyway.

This rule for where it is in place probably only negatively affects a minority of players. And those players just don't have to play HS softball if that is their choice. It's not like they are forcing them to play HS softball. If its that bad, don't play. Go do another sport or play TB for a team that has no TB tournaments scheduled because they are all shut down during HS season.

 

[Indiana]

Back to the OP's question for a quick second - Colorado has the same rule, but an athlete can apply for a waiver from her school principal. Perhaps Alabama has a similar waiver? It could be worth checking into.

This is a good thread - I like the discussion. I, too, wonder about the long term viability of high school sports. When I was playing high school sports back in the late 80s, I, and most of my friends, played three sports, each in its own season. I don't remember it being particularly taxing or stressful, just fun. I picked my favorite sport to play over the summer. During the school year, high school was the only game in town. Now, however, there are competing models - both equal in their own ways, in my opinion. I'm starting to see students begin to choose one over the other. I don't think anything major will happen while my kids are in school, but I do wonder about 10, 15 years from now, especially if the NCAA ends up disbanding and the whole college atmosphere changes.

 

[riseball]

Kids are allowed to go to planned parenthood or similar on their own as well without telling a parent. You don't want rules yet you don't like them being allowed to seek confidential medical services without a parent being notified? Services which the students can do on their own anyway...

Your DD can't go get her ear pierced but it is perfectly fine to go to Planned Parenthood. You have no issue with that? It is not that I do not want rules. I just have a problem with the constant erosion of the rights of parents to raise their kids as they see fit. The last thing I want is the school making parenting decisions.

 

[jinjet95]

It's not the school, it's the federal government. If your child is over 13 or 14 and sees a phsychiatrist or someone for their reproductive health, you, as a parent are not entitled to their medical records or insurance payments, even if you pay the bill. It's ridiculous, but unfortunately, there are many families who are so dysfunctional that they feel they're protecting these kids by these rules.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Imagine your softball team is a band (that plays music). Now apply your states rules.

In Indiana:

1. No practicing with 5 or more band members from the same HS once the school year starts.
2. No private instruction with another band member present (from another HS) once HS band practice season starts.
3. You can't play with another band (on your own time, weekends or weeknights) while HS band season is in progress.

It's absurd. In Indiana the IHSAA says they do it to protect the children, blah blah blah.

The state Athletic High School Associations are just smaller (and no less evil) than the NCAA. In the end it all comes down to money and self interest (on all parties).

 

[Easton33]

Back to Out in Left Fields comment about TB coaches not needing any experience/qualifications to coach, I want to know what kind of resume he thinks most HS programs consider when hiring a coach? There are upper echelons in everything but I think most programs just put a teacher out there to coach and don't worry about their qualifications at all. A lot of HS coaches seem to not really have the passion for the game but the passion for the stipend. Conversely, TB coaches usually have the passion for the game with little to no pay. Like I said, this doesn't apply to the top programs but more so to the average or below average programs. To take your experience from a top level program and try to apply to all programs is not reasonable. There is a definite need for TB to supplement a competitive player's lack of HS direction. It would be nice if all HS programs were as successful as yours sound but unfortunately that is not the case. A lot of kids will get offered scholarships through HS exposure if they play for these types of programs but since most do not, then their exposure comes from TB teams and tournaments. Just my opinion.

 

[fastpitch]

Your DD can't go get her ear pierced but it is perfectly fine to go to Planned Parenthood. You have no issue with that? It is not that I do not want rules. I just have a problem with the constant erosion of the rights of parents to raise their kids as they see fit. The last thing I want is the school making parenting decisions.

The school doesn't make rules about a kid getting her ears pierced so I'm not sure how that is similar. They are just allowing them per the rules of the state to go for confidential medical attention. It isn't a parenting decision.

This rule about confidential medical attention and the rule to not play other on other teams in season should not affect any parents ability to raise their children in a proper manner.

 

[Cannonball]

We have levels of requirements and certifications. First if you play, you get in front of the line at the interview. You must have a certain level of coaching experience (I think they asked for 3 years for JV and 5 for V). In the first year, several classes, in the second year, several more. By the end, you probably spend 60 hours on the certification process.

Most TB teams are not providing much exposure. Look at the results of who is on college teams. I would say 20% of travel players get exposure and get on teams, and that would includ JCs or CCs. 80% don't.

What???????

 

[riseball]

That is specific to OLIF's area, school, district, region, state, corner of the world.