cutting high school players

Personally I would not get involved. They need to start with the coaching staff and if they do not like the answer then they need to go to the AD.

It's worth considering that you might want to stay out of this and instead suggest to the parents that they research this on their own.

 

"Hell hath no fury like a sports-parent scorned."

Run, run very fast as far away from these discussions as you can.  Don't even get caught up in the parents and rumor discussions.  Team mom's should have nothing to do with the team other then relaying information that needs to get to the parents from the coach as well as planning the end of year get together and possibly a coaches gift. 

 

My suggestion, if a parent wants to know why their kid was cut, they should instruct the kid to go talk to the coach.  If the coach is not willing to have these discussions then the parent should contact the AD asking him to setup a discussion between himself, the player and the coach.  If the AD wants to he can involve the parent as well.

 

I think as far as ineligible players, you might bring that to AD, however, I would assume any AD worth anything would know if players on his team are eligible or not.

 

As far as why a particular player is cut- that player needs to do as someone above suggested, asked the coach, and if he won't talk then set something up with AD. As a parent of someone else, I wouldn't get involved other than to tell them just that.

As a team mom, you have volunteered to be of help to the coach and the program.  Getting involved in "unfair" cut decisions with other parents is not helping the coach or the program.  The proper response from the team mom would be to suggest they talk to the coaches who are with the players every day and responsible for making those difficult decisions.  You might also inquire if they have asked their sons why they were told they were cut.  As others have stated, the next step for those parents would be go to AD.  Violating rules by allowing ineligible players is a separate issue which should be taken up with the AD, but only after one has information beyond speculation.  Again, that is not the role of the team mom. 

Agree with all of the above. Stay out of it.  

 

But here is a link to your section site, where you should find the rules you ask for, though there may be league rules as well.

 

http://www.cifss.org/

 

BTW as for eligibility, that's a pretty complicated topic and what people have heard or  think they know about any given player's situation may be far from the truth.

It's above your pay grade.  Respectfully tell them it's not your department and they should talk to their kid/coach/ad. 

 

There are rules about eligibility for grades and such - but I think that only applies to games.  In our town, ineligible players can practice.  As far as I know, there aren't any rules regarding player selection - that's on the coach. 

 

Player selection is always a thorny issue.  To an educated parent, it sometimes makes you want to gouge your eyes out.  I have seen some wild things.  My kid's basketball tryout didn't even include shooting.  Then they wondered why the game was over when they got down by 5 points or more.  Baseball is a few days away -- hopefully they will included hitting. 

hitting? is that necessary?

Not always.  Our HS team tried hard to give one of it's pre-season scrimmages away recently.   Other team scored a number of runs -- 7,  I think (but my memory is vague) -- without a single hit.  But we had 7 errors and a number walks.  It reminded me of little league -- maybe AA or AAA level.   Hopefully they got hat out of their system though. 

The first step should be that the player who is cut talk with the coach; only be concerned with your son on this topic. Our HC makes ALL selections/cuts in all 3 levels. (actually made it easy when I was FR Asst, though I could give input). Our HC always made a point to offer to meet with those whose "names were not called" (cut) on the field after tryouts. Or they could meet with him at school- as he teaches at the school (some are so upset they need to unwind and think about it). As for ineligibility issues are these academic? age? residence based? These should go to AD if substantiated. As other posters indicated, these areas are not for you to hear/handle.

Im not a big fan of posting lists or reading a list out loud.  My older son was cut when they posted a list online.  All he said was, "Im better then half these kids why did they cut me". He was left in the dark as to the reason for being cut.  

 

I like the new method they are using at our HS.   On cut day kids are divided into three groups.  Group 1 are kids who made it, Group 2 are kids who are cut or who are on the fence.  They go through tryouts as in their groups.  Im pretty sure the kids figure out that Group 1 has made the team by this time.  After tryouts kids in Group 1 are placed in one room and kids in Group 2 are placed in another.  The rooms are not situated near enough to each other that the kids can see or hear each other.  They even use different exits from the school.  The coaches tell Group 1 as a group that they made the team.  Kids in Group 1 remain in the room until the coaches are done with Group 2.  Kids in Group 2 are called into the coaches office one by one and told their status.  If they made the team they are sent to the room with Group 1 kids.  If they are cut they are given the chance to have a discussion with the coach on why they were cut and what they would need to do to make the team in the future.  The cut kids then leave the building without returning to their room.  

 

Once all the cut kids have left the building the coach holds a quick meeting with the team.  Part of the meeting are instructions on not being too joyous when leaving the building as well as instructions to not really discuss their status until the next day.  

I'm sorry whats AD?

Varsity coach just posted a list of the kids who made it on a school bulletin board for all to see. Didn't hear about any parental blow ups, though there were whispers about some kids not having the grades. Have to remember that freshman tryouts are during what is their 1st or 2nd semester of school, so grades haven't even posted yet - or if they have the kids may get to use their one academic waiver during 2nd semester. Here in So. Cal you get one academic waiver to bring your grades up over your four years - our school automatically makes you use that the first time you become ineligible. 

 

Agree with all the other posters here - stay as far away from this as possible. Nothing good can come from the team mom getting involved in this kind of junk, just creates problems for your family and your son. 

Athletic Director

Thanks for your suggestions, glad I asked

Great thanks for your reply. Very helpfull

Great this is what I needed. Thanks for the link. All your responds have
been well acepted. I'm stepping back.

Tell the parents it's all politics. If they want their kid to make the team donate more money and suck up to the right people.

Actually, why a kid is cut is between the coach and a player. A mature kid will approach the coach. An immature kid will have his mommy or daddy approach the coach for him. Often the truth is not what the kid perceived it to be and told his parents.

As others have noted, it's well above your pay grade.  I'd point them towards the AD (Athletic Director) or directly to the coach.  Don't get in the middle (remain neutral).

 

If there is eligibility questions, they are normally resolved by the AD.  At our local HS, before a student can tryout for any team, certain paperwork has to be submitted to the AD who verifies if the student is eligible (grade wise) before the student ever steps into the locker room, let alone the field.

 

Many times, "the good, the bad and the ugly" come out after cuts have been made.

I'm starting to get worried.  2 days in and the bats have yet to leave the bag.