There have been a couple of articles recently about the need to switch hs baseball to the fall rather than the spring due to weather in Illinois.
What are your thoughts?
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It makes all the sense in the world--howevr, you will never, and I mean never, be able to move football to the spring.
That's a great point. From a baseball viewpoint it would make perfect sense to play in the fall, but that idea stands no chance of gaining momentum due to football. It doesn't make much sense to not take advantage of the beautiful weather in August, September, and even most of October. Fortuntaely there are options for players to play in the fall, they just don't happen to be affiliated with high schools.
I think there are quite a few high schools in IL that do play fall baseball.
I wasn't aware of any of the IL high school baseball seasons being held in the fall. How do they do the playoffs and such if some are fall and some are spring?
I agree that HS baseball will never get moved.
But, we play every fall and it is the greatest time of the year to play baseball. At least in this awful climate here.
But, we play every fall and it is the greatest time of the year to play baseball. At least in this awful climate here.
There is in fact an IHSA fall baseball season. I am not familiar with all the specifications of it, but I know many smaller schools do participate in it. Most schools do not because they would have to compete with football for athletes, so it would be a lot of schools who do not have a football team. Here is my understanding of the way it works.
1.) Any game you play in the fall counts toward your 35 for the spring. This works well for many smaller schools as well because 35 games in the spring can be unrealistic if you have 5 or 6 pitchers. They may play 15 games in the fall and 20 games in the spring.
2.) I do not believe there is a "fall" state tournament. They would compete in the spring tournament with everyone else.
If anyone knows better than I do please feel free to correct, but that is the way I understand it.
1.) Any game you play in the fall counts toward your 35 for the spring. This works well for many smaller schools as well because 35 games in the spring can be unrealistic if you have 5 or 6 pitchers. They may play 15 games in the fall and 20 games in the spring.
2.) I do not believe there is a "fall" state tournament. They would compete in the spring tournament with everyone else.
If anyone knows better than I do please feel free to correct, but that is the way I understand it.
BC, from what I've seen that sounds right. I'm thinking, though, that schools are only allowed to play baseball in the fall if they do not have football. Not sure about that, but it sounds right. (And makes sense to me!)
This topic is brought up quite often, especially in a year when we have really crummy weather. I'm not so sure it is a slam dunk baseball would be better off in the fall.
Sure, at the beginning the weather would be great....just like it usually is right now. But as the fall season went on,the weather would get progressively worse with the most important games being played when? In November? The weather in November at times can be fine (just like it sometimes is in March) but is just as often not at all nice. The way it is now, at least the weather improves and the season can be longer than it would be in the fall. I've seen The State Tennis Championships played in some pretty bad fall weather, and I thought at the time that it was really too bad that the most important matches of the year were being played in cold, damp windy conditions.
Now schools have the option of going south and starting in a bit nicer weather than we have here and that is the way to go.
Sure, at the beginning the weather would be great....just like it usually is right now. But as the fall season went on,the weather would get progressively worse with the most important games being played when? In November? The weather in November at times can be fine (just like it sometimes is in March) but is just as often not at all nice. The way it is now, at least the weather improves and the season can be longer than it would be in the fall. I've seen The State Tennis Championships played in some pretty bad fall weather, and I thought at the time that it was really too bad that the most important matches of the year were being played in cold, damp windy conditions.
Now schools have the option of going south and starting in a bit nicer weather than we have here and that is the way to go.
Well, then, there's only one solution...move to Malibu!
Fall baseball came about because of the small schools in Illinois who do not have football. Because of this rule technically any school in Illinois can play Fall High School baseball. It does not "at this time" go against your 35 games in the spring. Their is no sanctioned state tournament. Their is an IHSA start date and finish date. Their has been legislation to try and eliminate Fall High School baseball but it has failed by vote of the principals in the state. Their has also been legislation to try and make baseball have 25 contact dates in the summer like other sports but that has yet to stick either. I will tell you that we will be challenged on a yearly basis by various legislation because many people have a problem with us having 3 sanctioned seasons of our sport. It is a constant battle but your coaches association is on top of it.
Papi,
That's just a low blow.
That's just a low blow.