covid and the future of softball and sports for our youth

[FP26]

NCAA rules give you five years to play four seasons. The fifth year is the redshirt, which means you can be part of the team but not play in games. Sometimes if a kid gets injured, the NCAA will give them a sixth year -- a medical redshirt -- but it's actually pretty rare.

The other part of what you're saying is that a coach designs their program for a certain number of players both at games and practices. Practice times are usually limited by rules, so if a coach has 15 players on her team, she gan give them ll more instruction time than if she has 20. Or 25. So even if we keep extending eligibility, the logistics of these expanding teams will be difficult, too, both at the high school and college level.

So if an entire team was prevented from playing in the spring of 2020, why can't the entire team use "five years to play four seasons"?

I do realize this is hard on everyone including the coaches. Every person has their own version of what they want to see happen. Sometimes for biased reasons. I am trying to look at it from all sides. Personally, I do not think any solution is going to satisfy everyone. But how can you make it the most fair for as many people as possible?

 

[eagle6]

My understanding is that college permits each person to play 4 years. If they miss a year due to injury, they can redshirt. That allows them to become that 5th year senior we hear about sometimes. I see covid as similar, only that entire teams/conferences/sports red shirted for the year (in a way). I'm not sure there is anything preventing athletes to do the same thing in high school, but I'm not positive about that. Couldn't a student voluntarily return to high school for another year in order to play that year they missed? No, I'm not suggesting anyone do that, but I think high school has the same 4 year eligibility rule, and that would be the only way to complete that year.

In regards to fairness... There are a lot of rules in and out of sports that I don't think are fair. But they are still rules. In my opinion, as long as the rule grants 4 years of eligibility, each athlete should have the opportunity to complete 4 years of eligibility. Otherwise, the NCAA needs to change the rule. I'm not sure how many of you remember Chris Weinke. If I remember his story correctly, he was drafted by the Blue Jays to play baseball. But then later decided to attend college. He ultimately became the QB at Florida State at the age of 26 or 27.

So, in summary, I do not see it as extra years of eligibility, and honestly would not be in favor of extra years. However, I am in favor of allowing each person to play the four years of eligibility that the rules allow for.

I'm good with the 4 years of eligibility, but there are reports that this year wont count towards their 4 years either. That's 2 extra years for athletes. Athletes that played 20 or more games in some cases. I don't think HS kids should return either. Again, that would only be "fair" to the seniors and not the incoming freshmen that would then lose a chance to play because of the extra year. It sucked for these kids to lose a season, but it was none the less lost. Everyone has suffered during this, I just don't understand a blanket extra year of eligibility. Red shirting is done on a case by case basis. There were no rules or precedent for a global pandemic. NCAA and college admins are not making this decision based on fair or equal. They are making it on the basis of trying to look good now and in the near future with current student athletes without looking at the long term problems it is creating for future athletes.

 

[radness]

So if an entire team was prevented from playing in the spring of 2020, why can't the entire team use "five years to play four seasons"?

I do realize this is hard on everyone including the coaches. Every person has their own version of what they want to see happen. Sometimes for biased reasons. I am trying to look at it from all sides. Personally, I do not think any solution is going to satisfy everyone. But how can you make it the most fair for as many people as possible?

Perhaps its hard for folks to agree with because the decision was made for D1 and not made for all students. Elementary & up ?
Especially important if its supposed to be making the situation fair.

The extended elegibility decision was made without a plan.
That in itself is a bad plan.

 

[sluggers]

I tend To like the discussions and don’t always agree with the lockouts but Ive been here long enough to know it doesnt take much and then poof, locked or deleted thread. That’s my point. And be civil if possible. We’re all grown up’s for the most part.

And...*POOF*.