Mustang, I couldn't agree more.......It's plain and simple FINISH WHAT YOU START! We are sending the absolute wrong message to the youth of our society if we condone quitting. It's about commitment. If student athletes were permitted to quit one to join the other, small schools could have coaches fighting over athletes, making open ended promises, pitting parents against other coaches etc. If they don't like football for whatever reason, don't play NEXT YEAR. If I'm a coach, I would be concerned with someone on my team that proved to be a quitter!

 

Thats easy to say. But there are some circumstances where I believe a kid has a right to make a change. What if the coach is constantly cursing at the kid and treating the kid poorly?

Some of you may not believe this, but there are some bad coaches out there. Coaches I wouldn't want my kid playing for if I were a father.

If the kid made a mistake by playing football and feels he is better suited for basketball, then let him play basketball. Don't try to punish the kid.

I don't think any kid (Catholic schools not withstanding) are on athletic scholarships. If a multi-sport kid wants to drop one sport and concentrate on another in mid season to concentrate on another why should the basketball coach tell him he has to wait until football is over to practice? Is he attending high school on a football scholarship?

Thats easy to say. But there are some circumstances where I believe a kid has a right to make a change. What if the coach is constantly cursing at the kid and treating the kid poorly?

Some of you may not believe this, but there are some bad coaches out there. Coaches I wouldn't want my kid playing for if I were a father.

He has a right to make a change without special circumstances.

Nobody is even mentioning the fact that many schools have tryouts and cuts. What about the kid that would have made the team if this quitter had not been there to begin with and taken that available spot?

Years ago my father-in-law was a good basketball player. He was offered an athletic scholarship to a college in Ohio. He attended a small highschool that had difficulty fielding a football team (not enough kids). Coaches, teachers etc. convinced him to play football his senior year. He didn't like it and wanted to quit but due to pressure from those folks and parents he didn't. He was tackled at the knees and suffered a severe knee injury. He was never able to play sports again. In his mid fifties he had total knee replacements (damage to the one contributed to lost cartilage and cripling arthritis, the other degenerated from his awkward gait). I know this is an extreme example but the point is that forcing kids to do things can be as damaging as allowing a child to change his mind.

I was taught to play any sport I wanted but once I started I had to finish! NO QUESTION!

Thats easy to say. But there are some circumstances where I believe a kid has a right to make a change. What if the coach is constantly cursing at the kid and treating the kid poorly?

Some of you may not believe this, but there are some bad coaches out there. Coaches I wouldn't want my kid playing for if I were a father.

 

 

I believe you about some bad coaches out there.

Thats easy to say. But there are some circumstances where I believe a kid has a right to make a change. What if the coach is constantly cursing at the kid and treating the kid poorly?

Some of you may not believe this, but there are some bad coaches out there. Coaches I wouldn't want my kid playing for if I were a father.

Nobody is saying that a player doesn't have the right to quit a team if he finds himself in adverse circumstances or simply doesn't like playing the game.

 

What we are saying though is that since you made your original commitment to football (let's say) that you cannot join the basketball team in progress until the completion of the football team's season.

 

This obviously prevents an exodus from an unsuccessful football (or soccer or cross-country) program to the more inviting fresh start of basketball practice and the basketball team.

 

I'm wondering how many of you who condone quitting a fall sport and joining a winter sports team with no recourse are actually involved in high school sports or coaching? Letting mal-adjusted Johnnie simply quit football (or soccer or cross-country) and go right to basketball with no restrictions might sound like great theory in a boardroom or in a counseling session, but the reality is that if you are going to run cohesive programs, players just can't go bouncing around from one to the other without some restrictions.

Once again, these are kids, not professional athletes. Kids should have the opportunity to try new things without penalty in my opinion. I am sure most coaches do not want a kid around their program if the kid doesn't want to be there. It usually brings others down. Also, sports are considered extra, not required for graduation. Maybe the program that has made promises and has kids wanting to quit should be looked at rather than the program that has created interest. In theory, you are somewhat saying let's penalize one program because a student wants to play and not penalize the program that the student is unhappy with. Maybe the program that is losing players needs looked at to see why those players are leaving.

How should a basketball coach handle a player that quits football during football season because the player feels the pressure to be on the basketball court practicing? Should the coach tell the player to stay with football until the end of the season or should he allow the player to practice?

Thoughts??????????

 

State rules prohibit a coach or school from penalizing an athelete who is active in a varsity sport which is on going, which means they can not force them to attend practice or try out until the season is over. Football players have to be given a different try out date if their season runs beyond the scheduled try out date. They are also required to allow a week between the end of the football season and the start of basketball season if the issue is pushed. This situation becomes serious when the football teams are deep into the playoffs.

If a kid wants to try a new sport and quits 2 or 3 weeks into that sport before games are ever played then it is not a big deal if he starts the next sport on time. The problem arises when the kid has played football, soccer, CC, or whatever sport and has done that for 6 - 8 weeks and then quits to play basketball. Then we have the problem and that is when the coach should have a problem letting him go to the next sport.

Nobody is saying that a player doesn't have the right to quit a team if he finds himself in adverse circumstances or simply doesn't like playing the game.

 

What we are saying though is that since you made your original commitment to football (let's say) that you cannot join the basketball team in progress until the completion of the football team's season.

 

This obviously prevents an exodus from an unsuccessful football (or soccer or cross-country) program to the more inviting fresh start of basketball practice and the basketball team.

 

I'm wondering how many of you who condone quitting a fall sport and joining a winter sports team with no recourse are actually involved in high school sports or coaching? Letting mal-adjusted Johnnie simply quit football (or soccer or cross-country) and go right to basketball with no restrictions might sound like great theory in a boardroom or in a counseling session, but the reality is that if you are going to run cohesive programs, players just can't go bouncing around from one to the other without some restrictions.

 

If a kid has a good reason to quit, why punish him by not letting him get on the basketball court as soon as possible?

Be a team player and finish the season. Regardless of how much you play or the high school rules. It places people in sticky situations because a student athlete doesn't want to complete a task. Take a stand as an adult, parent, leader, teacher or coach.

 

"Finish what you start" - When did that rule change?

Be a team player and finish the season. Regardless of how much you play or the high school rules. It places people in sticky situations because a student athlete doesn't want to complete a task. Take a stand as an adult, parent, leader, teacher or coach.

 

"Finish what you start" - When did that rule change?

Welcome to BGP onetime and be sure to visit the New Member forum....

http://www.bluegrasspreps.com/forumd...aysprune=&f=34

 

Read the "Everything a Rookie" thread and it will answer, any questions.