CAGirl,
In my son's FR or Soph year, there was a starting SR outfielder/part-time pitcher. Ended up graduating with Honors. He had planned to go on a School-sponsored trip during Spring Break (maybe to a foreign country). FYI, we have 1-2 district games during Spring Break. Coach knew about it a year in advance. Player went. He did tire flips for 2-3 weeks when he returned during practice and didn't play much rest of year because of him attending the school-sponsored trip.
I felt like the coach was wrong then. Still feel like the coach is wrong. I understand the whole if one gets to do it then they all get to but every situation is different. The punishment, IMO, didn't fit the supposed crime. Not sure why there should be games during a school's Spring Break but that is a whole different discussion.
PS; same young man went to TAMU, was in the Corps, graduated on time and his intra-mural (? not correct term, I think) team won the National Baseball Championship. Very fine young man as is his whole family.