Softball Coaches Suspended At Northern Guilford High School

Careful Coaches... Someone's always watching...

http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=142157&catid=57

 

Let's make more rules so it's harder for schools and the sport of softball to flourish. I can't imagine why a coach would need to drop a HS'ler down to JV if nothing more than to: (a) JV really needed a player so the TEAM could play the scheduled game, or (b) the player in question really needed the development.

We can send our DD's out on a weekend to TB and play 5 games in one day, but we can't play 4 games in one week. I hope who ever thought this stuff up didn't hurt themselves.

I'm not condoning rules violations, but geeeeez....give us a freaking break.

Next thing you know someone will create a rule that limits the number of hitting lessons a DD can take during the week, and if that's not enough then eventually maybe we'll get to a point where we don't have to keep score. Then everyone will be even.

 

scal, what does the term student athlete mean? thanks cheese for pointing out why we are limited. i had to watch my 4, 23 limit this season. i wanted to keep the jv team as part of the program. it pays dividends down the road. it was hard and we had to sit a few to keep from going over, but both teams benifited.

 

here we go...

If the intent of the rule is to "help focus on the intent of HS which is education" then why does this not apply to TB on the weekends, or Sunday practices? I'm sorry I don't buy it when you have the HS and TB governing bodies on two different pages.

I'm a big fan of Saturday double headers and HS weekend tournaments, one because it cost me $92 to fill my truck up this week so I can only imagine the cost of filling an activity bus, and two the kids get to play more games and practices during the week.

If the rules are meant to protect education then it needs to be universal.

I'd hate to think that in the times we live in the coaches and AD's could not hammer out a budget to include more games at less cost, only if the powers that be would come to their senses.

 

not condoning breaking rules.. but the reality is

JV and Varsity travel together, so if the issue is that it takes away from studies, well, weak arguement at best. our JV has to stay at least through the 4th inning of varsity game at home.

lots of JV teams not being fielded because 20-21 girls come out and not enough, so 6-7 girls will sit the varsity bench or not even dress out because not enough uniforms suffer.

in volleyball, this rule applies also, and i agree because the pace of the game is really hard for a kid to play a JV and varsity game in one day, but i would disagree on softball. even if the JV player pitches JV game, she probably would only pinch run or play outfield maybe. students also get sick, have academic obligations, etc, so i think these rules should be "bendable"..

 

I don't understand what the big deal is. This is not a new rule and it is definately NOT a little known rule. The Coaches at NG screwed up. Weather on purpose or not only they probably know. Its good to see that rules are being inforced. Just hate it for the players. Suggesting that high school and travel ball be governed the same is not going to happen nor should it.

 

I would like to point out something this article did not: The Coaches self-reported themselves to the NCHSAA according to all prior articles for violating the max per week clause and max per season clause.

If THIS information is accurate, then while we can lament the very human error that cost these two teams wins, and notable NG's Varsity team the number one seed in state play-offs, we should also congratulate these coaches for being heads-up and reporting their mistake.

As for "protesting JV players playing both JV and Varsity" that is ridiculous. Schools routinely have several players that are considered JV/Varsity split. Most commonly a player plays at the JV level unless they are needed for a Varsity game at which time they may pull double duty that night, or only play Varsity.

During my dd's freshman year our Varsity schedule was ridiculously light - 1 or 2 games MAX non-conference, no scrimmages, no Easter tournaments, then their regular 14 game conference schedule. Several players, my dd included, wanted their max games out of the season, so would routinely volunteer - on a week where only 2 games were scheduled - to go down to JV and play double duty. The coach capped them 1 game short of their max per season so as not to take any chances.

This year I can name at least 6 schools I have seen play with players "stepping up" to Varsity here and there from JV.

I say more power to the kids who want to max out their games during the season. Just like all the extra time put into games in TB, those few extra games a season can only help the become better players.

 

No changes that I am aware of

Unless the rule has changed in the last season or so, Cheese, it is still the same. A player only need appear on the line-up to constitute a "game played" - regardless of whether or not they ever step on the field.