Open Gym

What might have happened not knowing the situation is that coach of the sport in season might have told the other coach to not let any of his/her girls participate. A coach of a team in season can do that and/or allow the girl to quit the team. Several factors might go into it. For example fatigue. If a player is given time to go home to do homework and rest, then the coach of the team in season expects that. I don't think I'd want a player of mine risking injury in another sport if I'm counting on them in my season.

Actually coach, I'm pretty sure that's an IHSA rule, at least that's we were always told in high school and what I've heard in all my years as a reporter.
If I had time to scour the IHSA Web site, I would, but I'm off to a Lewistown to cover a girls basketball regional-title game and hopefully chat for a minute with the legendary Ned Graham.

CoachB - your explanation was correct. I took my son to his open house for incoming freshman last night at the H.S. he will be attending. The first hour was for sports and clubs, he was able to introduce himself to the coaches that he will be playing for next season. When we met the varsity baseball coached I asked the question on open gym, I explained that my son also plays basketball and if he would be allowed to participate, the coach said that he would prefer him to concentrate on basketball. The coach went on to say that he also is a football coach and would not want one of his football players playing basketball during the football season.

That’s why I continue to come back to this forum, it’s is the only place a parent or a player can come and ask questions or get advice from other parents or coaches.

Thank’s CoachB

That is not my understanding of the rule. It has to do with the same sport. If you are playing Basketball and there is a Open Gym for baseball it does not do anything to the players’ eligibility. It has to be something with the coach not wanting his player to be hurt during the open gym.

Here is the rule from the IHSA:

3.101 During the school season for a given sport, in a school which maintains a school team in that sport, a student shall not
participate on any non-school team, nor as an individual unattached in non-school competition, in that given sport or in
any competition that involves the skill of the sport in question. Violation shall cause ineligibility for a period not to
exceed 365 days. An exception may be made by the Executive Director under the guidelines adopted by the Board of
Directors for competitions sponsored and conducted directly by the National Governing Body for the sport.
3.102 Students may participate in a tryout for a non-school athletic team while a member of a high school team in the same
sport, provided the tryout is exclusively a demonstration of skills with no practice or instruction involved. Astudent shall
be considered to be a member of a school team when he/she engages in any team activity, including but not limited to
tryouts, drills, physical practice sessions, team meetings, playing in a contest, etc., on or after the date specified in Bylaw
5.000 and its sub-sections

I believe our school has the rule whether the IHSA does or not. Obvious exceptions include pitchers who most of them will start throwing during basketball season.

I disagree that this is an obvious exception. When would a basketball player find time to get in his "throwing" during the winter season?

I'm talking like 5-10 minutes of catch, not 45 minutes of a bullpen or whatever. They'll throw in the gym right after practice some if there's nobody else in there.

As a basketball coach, that would really excite me to watch my players playing baseball after practice. Maybe I did not do my job of wearing them out so they wanted to go home.

Maybe it would not excite the coach so much if he felt it was his job to improve the players skills rather than "wearing them out".
so they want to go home.