TB vs. High School

[riseball]

I'll now speak as a HS Coach. In my opinion, if I have created a HS team and have coached them for 34 games, 3 hour practices everyday we don't play with the exception of Sunday and then I were asked if a player could play TB, I'd say sure and give her her release. (I have done it.) I'll coach another kid and try to make her a player. Conference, Regional, Sectional, and the State Tournament are all on the line and one injury can ruin everything for all of the team and not just the injured person. I am not asking them to come to HS practice during the summer TB experience and would suggest that if they did and a key player got hurt, all of the parents of the TB Team would be beside themselves as their tournament play would be impacted. I expect the same courtesy and in my state, it is against the rules. We have Missouri 20 miles away and so, they play HS ball in the fall. So, a player can skip HS and play in Missouri in the spring. Great.

Aside from TB what other athletic activities do you take exception to during HS softball season? It seems most HS coaches view any TB participation during the HS season as a clear and present danger to their program. But I have yet to hear a HS coach speak out against the multitude of riskier recreational activities. If injury prevention is the true motivation I would think any activity beyond a brisk walk while chewing gum would be off limits. What am I missing?

Understand that I have no issue with any coach taking a stance of "My Team - My Rules". That is a coaches prerogative and if you do not like it that is your decision. Someone else will take your place. But there is not need to justify that stance under the color of injury prevention.

 

[Cannonball]

I ask my players to be dedicated to our HS Program. I don't want them out playing other sports where they can get hurt. I ask them to not do dangerous activities that endanger the success of our program. In baseball, I've had outstanding teams that have lost players to all kinds of stupid stuff including one starter who went dirt biking and broke his leg. We had 2 weeks to try to get someone else ready. That team that won 28 games did not advance in the post season.

For my golf team this year, I started with 8. I ended the year with 4. I lost half of my team to injuries from other sports that were not in season. I have told those girls I don't need them next year. I graduate one senior and she will be replaced by an incoming freshman. We play 6 score 4 but had to play with only 4 and we still won 18 matches so I'll risk that again and not waste my time trying to make those others better.

When I was an assistant coach in a very good program, we had some young men attend a party. They were on a balcony and it collapsed. Several were hurt but our starting 2nd baseman ended up in a wheelchair. None of them thought that this would happen but the 2nd baseman lost his entrance into West Point due to his injury. It was an accident. We can't account for everything. Those things we can control, I want controlled.

 

[Cannonball]

Lets say that your #1 pitcher gets hurt playing TB. How do some of you expect the HS coach to feel? How do you expect the HS Team to feel? Do you know what it is like to look seniors in the eye at the end of their HS career? Maybe for your dds, HS didn't mean a thing. For the girls that play for me, it means a lot. I make it mean a lot. So, they break down and cry when it ends. If you invest enough of your time and effort into some career like a HS Softball Career, it should hurt when it ends. Would any of you be ok with saying to this HS team, it sucks to be you guys. We lost our number one and so, you seniors, its been fun. I can't speak for all coaches but I can speak for me. Just let me know that you are not dedicated to my program and I have no problem letting you go and coaching another. I'd rather go down with a player that is dedicated to my program when it is in season than with one that could give a care less.

 

[JAD]

Understand that I have no issue with any coach taking a stance of "My Team - My Rules". That is a coaches prerogative and if you do not like it that is your decision. Someone else will take your place. But there is not need to justify that stance under the color of injury prevention.

TB Players are free to choose another team if they are not happy with a coach's stance, but HS players are stuck unless their parents are willing to move or pony up for private school!

 

[Mom_Coach_Fan]

DD's HS ball is 3 hours a day, 6 days a week with games or practice, so there is no time for TB and pretty sure the coach would not allow it even if there was. There is also an injury risk. By the same token, when TB is in season the HS coach is hands off.

Just a county over and have a rising 9th grader. Parent meeting coming up in May! Just so I am better educated, are there any rules in GA that prevent playing HS and being on a TB team? I have no illusions that my DD could do both. I am more interested in the rules (and where I can read them). The summer workouts look aggressive!

 

[Momo'sDad]

The CIF is not a government organization. Participation is voluntary.

Injuries happen when they happen. That's just the nature of sports, the nature of life. How dare a 15yo go out and engage in activities that 15yo's do?! The nerve! It sucks that young man lost his West Point appointment, but that type of loss is a part of life. We can't overreact to every little tragedy and regulate everyone into total safety. Life is not a "safe space". That's not how it works.

A coach does, however, get to establish the rules for their teams. As with school sports, participation on any TB team is voluntary. If a player doesn't like the rules of a coach, the player has the option not to play for that coach.

 

[Swim Coach]

If all of these TB Teams are doing so much coaching then how is I keep seeing players in HS who play TB who don't know squat?

I did not mean to imply that everyone who plays TB is on a team with great coaching or that they are all superstars.

That said, pick a sport, and you'll be hard pressed to tell me that anything other than the vast majority of the HS stars weren't already stars or well on their way before they ever put on a HS uniform. I guess I am speaking more generally than just softball, but even there, whether it's TB or just RecBall, most every kid that is a well developed all around player has played a lot before. Players that don't have access to high quality/dedicated HS coaching could easily be regressing during the season without continuing to do what got them to where they are personally.

Or maybe not. Just my thoughts.

 

[JAD]

Just a county over and have a rising 9th grader. Parent meeting coming up in May! Just so I am better educated, are there any rules in GA that prevent playing HS and being on a TB team? I have no illusions that my DD could do both. I am more interested in the rules (and where I can read them). The summer workouts look aggressive!

Rising 9th grade is an exciting year - first year of HS ball and everyone wondering if they will make JV or V. I am not aware of any specific rules that prohibit a player from playing HS and TB, but I know most coaches discourage it, and I would be very surprised if she had time. Most TB teams shut down completely, although I have heard of a few who try to sneak in some Sunday practices.

 

[Cannonball]

The CIF is not a government organization. Participation is voluntary.

Injuries happen when they happen. That's just the nature of sports, the nature of life. How dare a 15yo go out and engage in activities that 15yo's do?! The nerve! It sucks that young man lost his West Point appointment, but that type of loss is a part of life. We can't overreact to every little tragedy and regulate everyone into total safety. Life is not a "safe space". That's not how it works.

A coach does, however, get to establish the rules for their teams. As with school sports, participation on any TB team is voluntary. If a player doesn't like the rules of a coach, the player has the option not to play for that coach.

I'm trying to understand your response to my post with the "how dare" and "the nerve" comments. I gave the example of the young man that was put into a wheelchair as an example that we can't control everything and that it was an accident. Life happened. We couldn't control it and who would have thought that a balcony would collapse. Unfortunately for him, it cost him what he wanted most which was to attend West Point. As I mentioned, I do want my players to control what they can control.

I've done fairly well staying out of these various HS and TB threads. I'll do better.

 

[sbmom19]

I am pretty sure in most states you are not allowed to practice with TB if you are on the school team.

With the amount of time the players need to commit to the school team, I think it is a good idea anyways.

What state are you in?

Not in our state. Not allowed to practice or play with any other team during the high school season.