Explicit Walk Up Music

[LEsoftballdad]

Some music I cannot have in my head when I am chipping around the greens.

 

[uncdrew]

"So what?!? So let's dance!!!"

 

[STLDuane]

That was not the Umpires experience either when I informed him that walk up music was not allowed in VHSL ... He initially resisted but then asked them to shut it down for the game and he would get clarification ... Which he did and we later discussed that he had no idea ... My AD confirmed it with VHSL because it caused a stink .... I want to guess if you look back about 7 or 8 years, or ask your AD to reach out to VHSL you'll get an answer ... Actually, at the time this happened I had just read it in one of their monthly AD newsletters (updates?) that they send out ... It had always bothered me at this particular school and many times I had to ask them to turn down the music ... They would turn it down for an inning and then jack it back up. I feel that this school did / does it intentionally to upset the defense and inhibit communication as you point out.

Also, it only stopped them from doing it when playing us ... It was over-looked or allowed by Umpires when playing other teams who didn't know the rules or didn't care.

This was 7 or 8 years ago and I am currently not coaching, they could have changed the rule back I suppose .... ???

* Just to clarify; I like music and I'm a musician.

Well if it is still a rule, it is not one that is enforced. Not only does every single team play music for every home batter, the neutral announcers at the state semi finals and championships played it. There is one team that we play who is a perennial powerhouse that has the speakers set up on the visitor side of the field and plays the music so loud you cannot talk to someone sitting next to you. They also will leave the music running well after the batter is in the box disrupting the defensive communications. Then, within seconds of the music stopping and a play call being called in, their batters routinely ask for time because they've been standing in the box too long. It is very disruptive to the visiting defense.

I generally enjoy the walkup music, and the sound effects (breaking glass or car alarms on foul balls), but I can understand how teams abuse it.

 

[GIMNEPIWO]

Well if it is still a rule, it is not one that is enforced. Not only does every single team play music for every home batter, the neutral announcers at the state semi finals and championships played it. There is one team that we play who is a perennial powerhouse that has the speakers set up on the visitor side of the field and plays the music so loud you cannot talk to someone sitting next to you. They also will leave the music running well after the batter is in the box disrupting the defensive communications. Then, within seconds of the music stopping and a play call being called in, their batters routinely ask for time because they've been standing in the box too long. It is very disruptive to the visiting defense.

I generally enjoy the walkup music, and the sound effects (breaking glass or car alarms on foul balls), but I can understand how teams abuse it.

Read back ... Dabears17 posted the rule which is still in effect.

And yes, the team that I was talking about is / was a perennial powerhouse and their speakers were above and pointed into the visitors dugout. My suggestion is that if you want to stop it, have a copy of the rule handy and speak up.