Shortage of facilities...
Currently we have one "big" gym. It's smaller than a lot of other gyms in the area which are considered "second" gyms. Also, we have another gym but it is only useful at this time of year for batting cage stuff. It is an even smaller gym floor AND it has our school fitness center in there so there's even more space taken. How do you expect a baseball team of 60 and a softball team of 25 to practice in there without going into long hours after school or possibly going before school?
Our freshmen boys basketball team practiced many times either at 7:30 PM or at 6:30 AM this year. Our weight room opens at 6:50 Tuesday and Thursday mornings and I know the football team lifts from 3-4:30 3 days a week after school.
I'm lucky because I have weights class so I get to lift during school. I don't get up until about 7:10 each morning. Once I get going with baseball that may change because there will be days where the batting cage will be available (optional) at 7 or thereabouts. That won't happen too often though because where our batting cage is at is also used to "babysit" kids before school.
Boy our coaches can't wait for the new school to open with it's large main gym, a smaller gym, possible additional wrestling room, separate weight room and fitness center and multiple fields. If only the State Legislature would get busy...
CoachB, you been to Jerseyville's new school?