Junior high vball girls playing

Question
QUESTION: Should our school play 7th graders on the 8th grade team, if they are not needed?  (They play against other 8th graders only)  When I asked the coach why 8th graders are sitting, he said it's because he has too many 7th graders and he wants a few 7th graders to play at a higher level.  Is this legal?  (sidenote: He also played his 6th grade daughter on the first official 7th grade game last year - which I know is illegal.)

ANSWER: Good evening and welcome to www.allexperts.com.  

First off, I can't tell you anything about what is legal and what is not.  Here's why.  All the rules that control middle school sports in your state may be controlled by the state you live in.  Or maybe not.  I have no clue.  For example, here in Virginia, high school public school athletics are controlled by the Virginia High School League.  Thus, ALL public middle schools and ALL private school kids (K - 12!) have rules that are determined sometimes by their schools, sometimes by their conferences, sometimes by no one.  Yep, some of the private schools around here have practically no rules at all.  

So, I can't help you at all with "Is this legal?"  In fact, how do you so sure that playing a 6th grader is illegal?  Did you hear it from a parent?  OK, it may be true.  Did you hear this from your school's athletic director?  I'd double check it by asking another one.  Or does your child's middle school even have an A.D.?  

To the other part of your question:  playing "up" is normal, useful and the correct thing to do.  My 16's club team just qualified for Nationals in Miami with two 9th graders (playing up) starting and other one playing half the time.  In 2006, my 15's team qualified for Nationals in Atlanta with three 8th graders (playing up) playing all the way around.  

If these 7th graders that you're talking about are very good athletes (as good as the 8th graders) and/or have great athletic futures, then the coach SHOULD have brought them up to the 8th grade team, and they should play as much as their talents dictate (unless it's against the rules of the team's conference) just as if they're 8th graders.  Grade/age should make 0%difference in their playing time.  

Kids should play "up".  They should be challenged.  If the 8th graders aren't as good, they shouldn't play or they should not be on the team.  Sure, 8th graders should sit, if the 7th graders are better, and if this helps the team win.  Why are there no 8th graders on the other teams?  It could be b/c it's not allowed those schools, but is allowed at your school!  So we're back to the top of my response.  I can't help you with the rules.  They can be different from school to school within the same conference.  Yep, it's crazy!  But it's normal for middle school and private schools.  

However, you may have a good point in all this!  I'm afraid that since Coach brought his daughter up the year before, and you believe that was illegal, these 7th graders may not be all that good or have "great athletic futures".  It may even be illegal for them to play.  I'm afraid that the coach is not putting girls on the team by their merits, but to further another agenda.  If this is the case, then this would be really sad, and the coach has character issues.  What's your take on what I've just said?

I hope that the 7th graders are indeed good players and I hope that it's legal at your school for them to play!  If not, then this coach is neither a role model, nor a coach that I'd like to call my colleague.  Please stay in touch and let me know how it comes out.

And, when you have a moment, please visit me at www.coachhouser.com.  I think you'll like the smiling faces!!



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The 7th graders are not as good as the 8th graders.  They are a  little lost - especially when it comes to switching around.  The only good one is the coach's daughter - yes, she is ready to play up.  I know he should not of played her in 6th because she is only allowed to play six total years in high school (7-12) in our state. Yes, I did talk to the athletic director and other HS coaches and they said you SHOULDN'T do that!     The rest of story is  we live in a small town of 400 people.  We have a great k-12 school with about 430 students.  Anyone who wants to play sports -- get too.  (There are not any try-outs!)  Anyway, there are fourteen - 7th graders and six 8th graders.  When we play all the teams in the division they DO NOT play up.  That's why I think 7th should play other 7th graders and 8th graders should play other 8th graders.  Yesterday, we lost and my 8th grade daughter thinks it is because of the 7th graders that were on the team.  They won the first game when we had only 8th graders playing.  It was really hard to watch the game where the coach benched our best hitter, just to play a 7th grader. When I asked him why he is playing the 7th graders, he said because he has too many of them, so two need to play on the 8th grade team.  Again, no other team in our division does this, that is why it is frustrating.  Also our 8th graders are NOT ALLOWED to play up.  I know in 9-12 playing is all based on ability - period, as it should be.   I believe our coach has character issues.  I am sad too, the coaches are good friends of mine.  Anyway, my daughter feels punished when she is sitting and yes, she is better than the other 7th graders that are playing on her team.  Any new advise?   Thank you for your time.

Answer
Good evening once again!

New advice?  Not really.  More new questions/concerns.  Yep!  

First, the 7th graders shouldn't be lost.  Either:
a# They're too immature to understand what they are to do, or;
b) The coach hasn't coached them to do what they are supposed to do #this is my guess), or;
c) The 7th graders refuse to learn, and shouldn't play until they understand what they're to do, and until they don't embarrass themselves, their teammates and their coach.

Six total years?   Then one of those years was burned when the girls was a 6th grader?  I wonder if someone has the nerve to turn this in to the athletic regulating authority in your state?

Is there a 7th grade team at your school?  At any school?  If you say, "No, not at my school," and the state allows 6 years of playing, then the best girls should be brought up (regardless of what the other schools allow), the weaker 8th graders cut, and the 7th graders should play if they're better.

Finally, DON'T EVER ask the coach again why he played or didn't play anyone.  Does he ask you why you let your girl text so much?  Or why you allow her to wear what she wears?  Or why you don't make her go to bed earlier?  What he does on his team is HIS business, and how you correct/raise/discipline your daughter is YOUR business.  You're spectator, not an assistant coach, so keep out of it.  If you don't like him as a coach, then don't let your daughter play for him.  (Likewise, if he thinks you're a lousy mom, then he won't let his kids ever visit your kids at your house.)  If your daughter played on my team, and you asked me why I played certain girls, I'd either tell you, "This will not be discussed," or I will say, "Next question," or I would walk away.  Parents don't ask me why I do things on my team, unless I'm being abusive.  Likewise, he's your daughter's coach, not your daughter's father; therefore, if he asks you about your daughter's study habits, you can tell him, "MYOB".  

But, sorry, I have no advice.  You can take your concerns to the principal and the A.D.  They are his bosses.  If he's doing something illegal, then they need to act.  If they just disagree with how he coaches, then they may do nothing.  A lot of principals disagree with how their coaches coach.  But until the coach does something illegal, the coach often remains.  Why?  B/c a prin & A.D. don't (a) want to look for a new coach and (b) if they fire every coach whom they have philosophical difference with, they'll soon run out of applicants!  Hmmmm.

Thanks again for the follow up.  I hope your daughter's season goes great!  And I hope to meet you one summer soon as a STAR volleyball camp!  We directed 9 last summer, and hope to do even more in 2010!!  I can't wait!!

Tom