IMO, You are Dead wrong. Why did 15 other regions get the message and one refuse to listen? The other 15 regions quickly began, at KHSAA's direction, to get their coaches to clinics, pitching and catching lessons began to spring up to help the girls, and the sport quickly developed. From what i observed, the direction was given (and frankly, is very very clear in the state law) to switch, and one area simply refused. And at that time, one member of the KHSAA Board had a daughter playing slow and convinced the other schools to simply ignore the law. Now, those schools that have waited 10 full years to listen to the mandate, will complain that they shouldn't be put into existing fast pitch districts because they aren't good enough yet.

 

When Rep. Northrup passed the bill (yes, that is now Governor candidate Northrup), it was very clear the intent was to change from slow pitch to fast. Some people are just better than others at refusing to listen. And those adults who stonewalled now have their kids at a tremendous disadvantage just because they didn't want to be told what to do.

 

Because there was no "law" that schools had to abolish slow pitch and institute fast-pitch. The "law" was that schools had to offer the opportunity for girls to play fast-pitch with the idea that not offering fast pitch was doing a diservice to those wanting to seek college opportunites. If indeed there was a desire by the KHSAA to simply end slow pitch for fast pitch then that is what they should have done. Plain and simple pick an ending date and make the switch. Or play one in the spring and one in the fall. The whole thing was mis-handled because lawyers were involved and everyone was worried about CYA instead of doing the sensible thing for students.

Because there was no "law" that schools had to abolish slow pitch and institute fast-pitch. The "law" was that schools had to offer the opportunity for girls to play fast-pitch with the idea that not offering fast pitch was doing a diservice to those wanting to seek college opportunites. If indeed there was a desire by the KHSAA to simply end slow pitch for fast pitch then that is what they should have done. Plain and simple pick an ending date and make the switch. Or play one in the spring and one in the fall. The whole thing was mis-handled because lawyers were involved and everyone was worried about CYA instead of doing the sensible thing for students.

Totally incorrect. The law was written plainly and simply. If you offer softball, you have to offer the version that scholarships are given for, and "Offer" doesn't simply mean a sign up sheet outside the men's restroom, it means go at it as aggressively as you "offer basketball" (see the legislation mandating girls basketball). Some schools in a particular three county area copped out to a definition of offer that let them defend their short sighted decisions. My point is that if 15 of the 16 regions go the point and read the law, it wasn't the KHSAA that was guilty of ignoring it in that last region. It was the schools, period.

Totally incorrect. The law was written plainly and simply. If you offer softball, you have to offer the version that scholarships are given for, and "Offer" doesn't simply mean a sign up sheet outside the men's restroom, it means go at it as aggressively as you "offer basketball" (see the legislation mandating girls basketball). Some schools in a particular three county area copped out to a definition of offer that let them defend their short sighted decisions. My point is that if 15 of the 16 regions go the point and read the law, it wasn't the KHSAA that was guilty of ignoring it in that last region. It was the schools, period.

 

Totally incorrect. The law was written plain and simply. Schools had to offer to opportunity for playing fast pitch softball. If less than 9 girls signed up in a school to play fast pitch where those schools forced by law to field a team?

Why weren't schools that continued to have slow-pitch only teams (for years) hauled off to court if the law stated plainly and simply that if you offer softball, you have to offer the version that scholarships are given for?

...And other than a pitcher here and there, how many Kentucky HS players receive substantial scholarship money for Fast Pitch? The thought that there is scholarship money available to these players is a "Baloney"

 

I personally enjoyed the slow pitch game much more than the fast pitch. It put a premium on defense (rather than just having a dominant pitcher) and also had some aspects of strategy such as moving runners and hitting with placement in mind. I also liked a well played 10 - 8 game over a 2-0, 1 hitter.

 

Are you serious? There are girls from Laurel County almost every season who go to college on softball scholarships.

I think the whole scholarship thing is BS. Because it is a scholarship sport it is the only one that should be played? Less than 4% of all High school athletes participating in sports get scholarships so let's do away with all the sports because there are a whole lot not getting them and they are wasting their time playing the sport. Sports are about being involved in an activity that you can learn many life lessons from such as: hard work, perseverence, cooperation, competition, losing, winning, etc. I think the 96% that don't get scholarships can learn this no matter what sport they are playing, scholarship opportunities or not. So if the schools offer fast pitch to their girls and they still have enough that want to play slow-pitch more power to them. :thumb:

I think the whole scholarship thing is BS. Because it is a scholarship sport it is the only one that should be played? Less than 4% of all High school athletes participating in sports get scholarships so let's do away with all the sports because there are a whole lot not getting them and they are wasting their time playing the sport. Sports are about being involved in an activity that you can learn many life lessons from such as: hard work, perseverence, cooperation, competition, losing, winning, etc. I think the 96% that don't get scholarships can learn this no matter what sport they are playing, scholarship opportunities or not. So if the schools offer fast pitch to their girls and they still have enough that want to play slow-pitch more power to them. :thumb:

 

I agree 110%. It is not just about scholarships. And I agree, if schools want to offer both, so be it.

Totally incorrect. The law was written plain and simply. Schools had to offer to opportunity for playing fast pitch softball. If less than 9 girls signed up in a school to play fast pitch where those schools forced by law to field a team?

Why weren't schools that continued to have slow-pitch only teams (for years) hauled off to court if the law stated plainly and simply that if you offer softball, you have to offer the version that scholarships are given for?

Because no parents or others pursued it (other than some parents in Northern Kentucky). I ask again, are the other fifteen regions somehow out of step?

And if you read the law, it is clear, and your rose colored glasses keep you from seeing it. It says simply if you over softball, it shall be the version played at NCAA scholarship schools. So, no fast pitch, no slow pitch either. It is plain and simple.

 

It doesn't say offer, as the procrastinators to fast pitch want to say, it says "sponsor", which means to have the team.

 

"The state board or its designated agency shall assure through promulgation of

administrative regulations that if a secondary school sponsors or intends to

sponsor an athletic activity or sport that is similar to a sport for which

National Collegiate Athletic Association members offer an athletic

scholarship, the school shall sponsor the athletic activity or sport for which a

scholarship is offered. The administrative regulations shall specify which

athletic activities are similar to sports for which National Collegiate Athletic

Association members offer scholarships."

OK if a school "sponsors" fast-pitch what's wrong with having slow-pitch? By the way the one region you harp on does have mostly fast-pitch teams. In fact the state champ or runner up came from a school in this region just last year I think.

 

Should the state sponsor a slow-pitch state championship? NO!, not with the present numbers. Should the schools still playing be allowed? Why not.

 

I like how some of the other states play one (fast or slow) in the fall and one in the spring. It is my understanding that the fast pitch coaches in these states wanted to play slow the other season so their athletes had something to do. The fall would be a great time to play one of these sports. Better weather and more field availability.

:thumb:

OK if a school "sponsors" fast-pitch what's wrong with having slow-pitch? By the way the one region you harp on does have mostly fast-pitch teams. In fact the state champ or runner up came from a school in this region just last year I think.

 

Should the state sponsor a slow-pitch state championship? NO!, not with the present numbers. Should the schools still playing be allowed? Why not.

 

I like how some of the other states play one (fast or slow) in the fall and one in the spring. It is my understanding that the fast pitch coaches in these states wanted to play slow the other season so their athletes had something to do. The fall would be a great time to play one of these sports. Better weather and more field availability.

:thumb:

Last year's state champ did come from the 9th region, however, the 9th has the lowest participation of fast pitch of all 16 regions. It is the only region in the state that is made up of only two districts. The other 15 regions all have four districts.

I would also argue your point about fast pitch coaches encouraging their players to play slow pitch. I know some fast pitch coaches that specifically DISCOURAGE their players from playing slow pitch in church and recreation leauges because it can lead to many bad habits in their swing.

To defend those NKY schools, they also offer bowling teams to encourage student participation.

Because no parents or others pursued it (other than some parents in Northern Kentucky). I ask again, are the other fifteen regions somehow out of step?

And if you read the law, it is clear, and your rose colored glasses keep you from seeing it. It says simply if you over softball, it shall be the version played at NCAA scholarship schools. So, no fast pitch, no slow pitch either. It is plain and simple.

 

It doesn't say offer, as the procrastinators to fast pitch want to say, it says "sponsor", which means to have the team.

 

"The state board or its designated agency shall assure through promulgation of

administrative regulations that if a secondary school sponsors or intends to

sponsor an athletic activity or sport that is similar to a sport for which

National Collegiate Athletic Association members offer an athletic

scholarship, the school shall sponsor the athletic activity or sport for which a

scholarship is offered. The administrative regulations shall specify which

athletic activities are similar to sports for which National Collegiate Athletic

Association members offer scholarships."

 

I never said the other 15 regions were out of step. I said the whole process was not handled correctly. I did say that if the desire of the "law" and the KHSAA was to switch to fast-pitch then they (legislation and the KHSAA) should have picked an ending date for slow pitch and a starting date for the beginning of fast-pitch.

 

And looking objectively does the above not say 'sponsor or intends to sponsor'? How can a school sponsor a team if less than 9 girls want to play it? If a school post sign-ups or holds practice for fast pitch and 3 girls show up what happens? How in the name of Title IX can they not field a slow pitch team if 30 girls want to play slow pitch?

 

In fact some schools even resumed fielding slow pitch teams after giving it up for fast pitch, (Note: They sponsered both fast pitch and slow pitch teams) because of the interest. It has just been mis-handled from the start because of lawyers and CYA without regard to schools and student athletes.

The slow pitch schools are trying their best to keep their sport alive. The schools have even gone so far as to say that they will raise the money themselves, pay the insurance and have their own KY state championship tourney. The catch is that the trophy will not have KHSAA on it.

What if NCC was to enter the slow pitch tournament they won 6 state titles.

Slow pitch softball is a thing of the past coach. Think about this....

How many colleges across the country give scholarships for slow pitch softball? If girls want to play slow pitch, they can go down the the Rec. Dept. and sign up. Fast pitch has taken over at the high school level.

 

And how many kids in every sport ever receiver sport scholarships. There are very few kids that ever receiver sport scholarships. Its usually only the very gifted athletes, and well if a kid is a gifted athlete the parents usually send them to a top sports school anyways. So if a girl is good enough for a sports scholarship then they usually would end up at a school with fast pitch softball. But why should the kids who aren't gifted have to play a sport that is much harder, and probably would discourage alot of them from playing.

 

Yeah I admit a school shouldn't only offer a slow pitch team, because they should give the girls an opportunity to play fast pitch if they want. However they should still have slow pitch as an option for them. From what I have seen there has been nothing wrong with the setup that they have had. They had schools who had girls wanting to play slow pitch do that, and they had the schools who had girls wanting to play fast pitch do that. Slow pitch gives girls who probably wouldn't be that good at other sports a chance to actually be good at a sport. Also in fast pitch it is going to get rid of alot of the smaller schools, because the smaller schools have less girls to choose from, and to be good as fast pitch your usually going to have pretty good players, which alot of small schools dont have. Slow pitch gives these girls the chance to play. You will see alot of girls now who would play slow pitch, not out there anymore because they cant play fast pitch, which would also lead to them not getting the physical activity that they would be getting...I see no reason why the KHSAA should have decided to stop doing this, because the system they had in place was just fine...

And how many kids in every sport ever receiver sport scholarships. There are very few kids that ever receiver sport scholarships. Its usually only the very gifted athletes, and well if a kid is a gifted athlete the parents usually send them to a top sports school anyways. So if a girl is good enough for a sports scholarship then they usually would end up at a school with fast pitch softball. But why should the kids who aren't gifted have to play a sport that is much harder, and probably would discourage alot of them from playing.

 

Yeah I admit a school shouldn't only offer a slow pitch team, because they should give the girls an opportunity to play fast pitch if they want. However they should still have slow pitch as an option for them. From what I have seen there has been nothing wrong with the setup that they have had. They had schools who had girls wanting to play slow pitch do that, and they had the schools who had girls wanting to play fast pitch do that. Slow pitch gives girls who probably wouldn't be that good at other sports a chance to actually be good at a sport. Also in fast pitch it is going to get rid of alot of the smaller schools, because the smaller schools have less girls to choose from, and to be good as fast pitch your usually going to have pretty good players, which alot of small schools dont have. Slow pitch gives these girls the chance to play. You will see alot of girls now who would play slow pitch, not out there anymore because they cant play fast pitch, which would also lead to them not getting the physical activity that they would be getting...I see no reason why the KHSAA should have decided to stop doing this, because the system they had in place was just fine...

 

"was" is the operative word. I hate to try to put a little "logic" into this discussion, but I don't know that the KHSAA had any choice. With only 17 schools playing this year (per their list), that's 6% of the schools. The threshold established in the 80s was that 15% need to keep playing in order to have a championship. That was lost long ago. What was a "state" championship, became a "northern Kentucky" championship. So what appears to me will happen is that next year (2008) and beyond, slow pitch goes right in line with Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse and Bowling as activities which certainly can be sponsored by schools, but not a state wide championship. Field hockey, offered primarily only in Louisville, remains a viable alternative, but the just don't have a state champion, nor should they when it is played in just one area. Same thing for ice hockey (Louisville and Lexington, primarily private schools); Lacrosse (primarily in Lexington) and Bowling (primarily Northern Kentucky and the Ashland area). Those activities are not statewide, and are best left to local areas to handle local area championships.

 

Unfortunately, we can blame KHSAA or whomever, but when the legislature, who can't agree on a budget (the one thing they are constitutionally bound to do) or a mechanism to fund retirement for those of us in the teachers retirement systems, gets involved in athletics, it is little wonder that disarray occurs.