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[swoosh]

My kid goes to a school in Hampton. They were told that if they make the team they aren't allowed to play, practice or even tryout for a travel ball team during school ball.

I don't believe the coach can control them like that and the fact of the matter is that if it hadn't been for travel ball the girls wouldn't be as good as they are. I think this is wrong.

What's everyone else's opinion?

PS. This is a new requirement this year.

[raiderzrule]

In Newport News....that is the rule for baseball. I dont know about softball. I would imagine its the same for all schools in VA no matter what sport they play because it is in the VHSL contract they sign at the beginning of the year.

[jb1edlover]

I don't think it's a rule.... more of an understanding. I know that travel ball keeps the girls in a "playing" atmosphere pretty much year round however I feel high school softball should be a priority over travel ball...
Another issue is "most" not all travel teams don't do much coaching. I know there are some good travel teams out there, trust me I have seen a few. They do batting practice take a round of infield and then play tournament after tournament...

A few years ago, most travel teams respected "high school" softball and wouldn't bother the girls till after the high schoool season was over. I mean face it March & April and the high school season is pretty much over. I've seen girls missing conditioning, practices and even a few games for Travel ball.... I don't blame the high school coaches one bit if they don't want to girls playing for another team.... I don't know how they could enforce it though... I've also seen girls show up for practice with injured arms from "over"pitching with travel teams... Before you get upset, NOT ALL TRAVEL teams are like that! However as a high school softball coach I wouldn't want to try to determine which ones are good and which ones are bad....

[raiderzrule]

When your child brings the form home to fill out (the one that came with the physical form) Check it out. It should say something to the effect that while your child is playing for this particular high school, they are not allowed to play for another team until such high school is eliminated from district play. Some coaches don't enforce this rule. If the player is a sub in high school, most coaches will allow them to play. Pitchers are pretty much strictly prohibited by all coaches. Most starters usually will not be allowed to play either. There is such a thing as too much ball playing. This is not a rule that the coaches came up with. this came down from the VHSL.

[swoosh]

@jb1edlover - The coach I'm referring to has "forbid" them to participate in any way with a travel team. I understand that at any given moment that a travel ball team should yield to a school team for practices and games but to "ban" them from any type of participation all together is wrong in my opinion. If a travel ball organization is unwilling to yield, then the problem is with them.

I also think you are very wrong about travel ball team coaching. I know for a fact, at least on our high school team that the majority of the girls play for travel ball teams and that had they not, the team wouldn't have the potential they do. Travel teams train the fundamentals and also the specialty positions. If they aren't, find another travel team. Personally, my kid isn't where she is because of any high school coach, it's because of travel ball coaching.

Bare in mind, this wasn't a rule at any time before this year either.

@raiderzrule - You mean this form? http://www.vhsl.org/files/adm-physic...m-rev-4-07.pdf Where does it say no other participation? The VHSL isn't going to decide what is "playing too much ball", my kid and I will. Also, with baseball "pitching" it's perfectly understandable to limit pitchers but that isn't the case with softball.

Basically what I'm getting at is that it is wrong to ban participation across the board when that participation itself has provided you the quality of player that's going to make your team a MUCH better team. Give and take is what it's all about.

[jb1edlover]

I made sure to put "not all travel teams" when I mentioned not coaching! There are some good travel coaches out there... I personally wouldn't ban players from travel ball... however I wouldn't have any tolerance for girls missing practice, games or conditioning for a "School" team.
Now lets say "hypothetically" that a girl is playing on a weekend with her travel team and injures herself.... Now lets also say she's the pitcher or catcher and now they lose her for a period of time... that can be a problem for some teams. Some teams are deep enough that it may not be a big deal. Some positions like outfield and some infield positions it may not matter as much. Anyway... I hope things work out for your daughter! Good luck!

[swoosh]

Originally Posted by jb1edlover

I made sure to put "not all travel teams" when I mentioned not coaching! There are some good travel coaches out there... I personally wouldn't ban players from travel ball... however I wouldn't have any tolerance for girls missing practice, games or conditioning for a "School" team.
Now lets say "hypothetically" that a girl is playing on a weekend with her travel team and injures herself.... Now lets also say she's the pitcher or catcher and now they lose her for a period of time... that can be a problem for some teams. Some teams are deep enough that it may not be a big deal. Some positions like outfield and some infield positions it may not matter as much. Anyway... I hope things work out for your daughter! Good luck!

Girls seeking to play after high school are not going to get seen at high school games, they'll get seen at showcases where recruiters get the biggest bang for their buck seeing many more girls. With that in mind, what if the girl is playing for a school team and gets hurt in the school game preventing her from participating in showcases her travel ball team scheduled after school season ends? That most definitely jeopardizes her chances.

Seems to me there should be no "Either - Or" on the part of any school coach in this matter. It's very selfish to issue that kind of edict.