High School vs. Travel

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Mar 23, 2010
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Is there a rule in the state of Florida pertaining to a girl being rostered on a travel ball team during her high school season?
 
Jun 22, 2008
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I tried to go through the Florida rules but couldnt find anything specifically related to being on a club team and high school team at the same time. But, in AZ there is a specific rule which does not allow school players to participate in the same sport on any other team during the HS season. There is nothing that stops them from being rostered on a club team, they just cant play. Here in AZ club ball for 16U and 18U just shuts down during school ball.
 
Jan 15, 2009
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I just did a quick read of the FHSAA bylaws. DId not see any language in the elligibility section that would lead me to believe there is any restriction on non-school actvities. If you are wondering if your specific HS coach can ban outside activity during the season the answer is yes because

"9.1.1.1 Local Rules May Be More Stringent. Schools and /or school districts may adopt more stringent rules for the students under their supervision. No school or school district, however, may adopt rules that are less stringent than those of the FHSAA."

but that would probably need to be supported by the school AD and school rules.

http://www.fhsaa.org/sites/default/files/attachments/2010/09/16/node-235/bylaws_35pgs.pdf

This is the link to the bylaws, section 9 deals with eligibility, page 25
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
My understanding for FLORIDA (south anyway) is:
- No rules for player rosters, however HS always takes precedence and most HS coaches tell players they are not to be on any other team until the season is over.
- There is some coaching restrictions which are so easy to get around everyone seems to ignore them
- There isn't many travel tournaments above the U14 age group during the HS season and even that age group seems to have some limits. This means Juniors/Seniors will find it difficult to find a tournament to play in anyway.

We've had some fresh/soph play in our local rec league during HS season - especially pitchers looking for more innings or more work at a particular position. In those cases the HS coach has advised them to do so to get more time on field in or has told them they probably wont be playing varsity this year anyway.

Other areas I am sure are very different. And I may even have it wrong for South FL (my DD is not that old yet).
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
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Michigan
I can't find a direct rule, although incoming freshman have to be careful about what travel teams they play on, some big bruhaha about school coaches coaching travel and stealing transfers or recruiting incoming players.

Generally around the country, the rostering is not the issue: The student can't play in a travel event when a school team event conflicts.

Some have district rules (not state) and they may differ. Private schools tend to have their own rules (most ban travel entirely).

In any case, very hard for the HS coach to enforce. If you are a good player, the HS coach wants you, even if you break a rule![/QUOTE]

Yeah so what if he might be found using an ineliglble player and have to forfiet the wins up to that point. (sarcasm)

Really a HS coach might not care if you are breaking an eligibility rule. Then why do they even pay attention to the academic eligible lists, why not just play the best kids regardless of grades. Heck who cares if they even go to the school, HS coaches don't care if rules are broken. Come on, really? Do you want to rethink that statement?
 
Mar 23, 2010
31
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Thanks for the information. Just brought up this past weekend and presented as fact. I know of lots of HS coaches that ban other activities during their season.
 
Oct 19, 2009
1,277
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beyond the fences
I spoke with my dd (freshman) coach. Coach does not permit playing
TB tournaments until conclusion of HS schedule. She will work out with Travel team but her team is not
participating in Tourney Play until Summer 2012
 
Apr 12, 2010
192
0
Oregon
Seems like it would be tough for a school banning a legal activity outside of school hours (that's not what it says, but that's what it means) to stand up to legal scrutiny.

That being said, I think in MOST cases its way over the top to try and do both.

Here in Oregon, many varsity programs are practicing/playing 6 days a week. I would think it would be recipe for burnout/injury/poor grades for MOST young women to try and squeeze in travel ball on top of that. Seems like it mostly comes up at the 14U age level; when you have split-school teams, middle-school and high-school playing together.
 
May 25, 2010
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Seems like it would be tough for a school banning a legal activity outside of school hours (that's not what it says, but that's what it means) to stand up to legal scrutiny.

Legal scrutiny? A coach has the authority to establish the rules for her program. Once invited to join her team, you're agreeing to follow her rules. If her rules include 'no playing for another, competitive softball team during the HS season', then that's the rule. If a player elects to violate that rule, then in doing so the player would be accepting whatever consequences that might bring, including the loss of playing time or dismissal from the team.

Just as no laws were broken by the player who merely played for another team in season, no laws will have been broken by the coach if she chooses to kick the player off the team.
 

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