Softball Coaches Suspended At Northern Guilford High School

According to the NCHSAA Handbook:

ELIGIBILITY, Section 12, Page 117

Dressing for a Game or Practicing:

"A player shall not dress for a game or scrimmage when he is not eligible to participate in the game. Dressing and sitting on the bench shall be interpeted as participating in the game. Ineligible players are NOT allowed to participate in practice, either in season or during out-of-season workouts.

I'm not sure but it sounds to me like dressing and sitting on the bench would be considered 'participating in the game' only for someone who is ineligible. Bottom line is, unless we get complete clarification, why take the chance? If you bring JVs up to use as substitutes, don't let them sit in the dugout and don't list them on the lineup card until you need them. (Yes that's legal believe it or not). If you need to use one of your JV 'subs', go to the Ump and tell him you need to add 'Sally Smith #24' to the lineup card, once he does and announces it to the other team, then enter her as a sub. Just seems like a lot of unnecessary time used. I believe ( although admittedly I ain't too smart) the intent of NCHSAA is to keep ineligble players out of the game. I hope someone will get a clarification about this and post it. A LOT of teams move JVs up to use as subs. It really makes sense to me if NCHSAA would state clearly, ' Once a player enters a game as a starter or an announced substitute in one of the 9 or 10 batting positions, they are considered to have entered the game'. But what do I know?