Travel Team Scrimmage vs HS Practice

[Anthony Vertuccio]

Thanks all...everything you said I have done so just wanted to see if I was on the right track! Thanks!!

 

[CoogansBluff]

This would be an unexcused absence, IMO.

I would go so far as to consider removing her from the team if she chose not to attend your practice.

 

[coachbob]

I would not accept a text for a couple of reasons. First of all, do you know that she got your communication about mandatory practice? Also and most importantly, some things get lost over text. Maybe she meant, she thinks she should go to her TB practice, since she puts HS as a priority in most cases; but this seems like a good opportunity to throw my TB coach a bone. I hope that's okay coach.

I bet you wouldn't mind in that case. I would discourage texting with kids as much as possible. We just don't speak their language.

 

[murphdog]

Around here going to anything TB over anything HS would be a mandatory 25% of the season suspension no matter what. HS sports come first, you don't miss unless you are sick, at the doctor or at a funeral. This goes for practice, team meeting, scrimmage or anything else the HS coach might have.

 

[PA SB Dad]

PRACTICE??! Are we talking PRACTICE??!

I would BENCH her.

 

[riseball]

Check the state, district or HS rules. I don't know any HS team that allows you to miss HS practice for a club team activity of any kind. I would count it an unexcused absence, bench her for the next game, and warn her she can get suspended. Here they go straight to suspension, but it sounds like your players were not told of these rules. So that could be an issue for you. However, the rules come from above you.

That is your assumption but as usual his reality may be quite different. Hiding behind rules "from above" may not be an option. He may have to stand on his own, reflect, exercise his executive discretion as a coach, and then stand behind his decision. More than likely that is the reason for his post, to seek advice during a period of reflection on the issue.

 

[FP26]

I can only speak from our experience. During HS season, HS is #1. During TB season, TB is #1. Both coaches are talked to ahead of time and no problems have came about. Honestly, both are just happy DD is playing nearly year round.

This is my opinion as well. But as a travel ball coach, we still have weekly practices for those that are interested and able. Our team has players from 8 different high schools. Some don't allow outside practices, some do. Some have excellent coaching, some don't. If one of our players wants to work on hitting, I will not tell her no... But there are several girls that I do not expect to see until after the high school season is over.

 

[riseball]

If the kid has playing any MS or HS sports of any kind, he or she knows the rules, as does her parents. One assumes this is a 9th graders (after that most TB teams don't try and hold scrimmages), and they can't drive. So certainly the family knows or has responsibility to know the rules as they are similar from sport to sport. A handbook is provided to all parents. Some of these rules are verbatim from state to state through NFHS. In some states where the rules are stricter, the team can lose its wins if a player violates the no outside participation rules. She should be happy she can play on a club team during HS because many can't.

The NFHS has no such rule against outside participation. A handbook is not necessarily provided to every parent. And at no point was it stated that this was a violation of any rule. Once again you are making unfounded assumptions. Everything does not work the same way as it does in your little corner of the world.

 

[FP26]

The NFHS has no such rule against outside participation. A handbook is not necessarily provided to every parent. And at no point was it stated that this was a violation of any rule. Once again you are making unfounded assumptions. Everything does not work the same way as it does in your little corner of the world.

I agree with riseball. The rules being quoted are not the same as my "little corner".

This is directly from my state's website:

"Outside Participation
If you participate in a non-school athletic program during the PIAA Season for that sport, while enrolled at a school which has a Team in that sport, you will not be eligible for District and Inter-District Championship Contests in that sport unless you are in uniform and available to participate as a member of your school Team for at least 75% of its Regular Season Contests."

 

[PA SB Dad]

I agree with riseball. The rules being quoted are not the same as my "little corner".

This is directly from my state's website:

"Outside Participation
If you participate in a non-school athletic program during the PIAA Season for that sport, while enrolled at a school which has a Team in that sport, you will not be eligible for District and Inter-District Championship Contests in that sport unless you are in uniform and available to participate as a member of your school Team for at least 75% of its Regular Season Contests."

On it's surface, this rule seems like it discourages outside participation, but I look at this as more like the 75% participation rule that rec leagues have. It ensures that the team a school takes into post-season is composed of it's regular season players, and prevents schools from stacking a team with kids who skipped the regular season in favor of travel.