high school sports

high school sports

Fan suggests switch for three sports

Sir:

I really think the OHSAA should consider switching the sports seasons of softball and soccer/volleyball.

1) First and foremost is the weather. Our springs are, as a rule, wet and very cool. This causes many games to be postponed or canceled. Of 23 scheduled games at our local high school, 10 have been canceled and five postponed and later replayed. The spring weather, conversely, would have had little effect on soccer and absolutely NO effect on volleyball.

Autumns, by contrast, are very warm and dry — PERFECT for softball (while taking away some of the August heat associated with soccer).

2) The girls would be coming off summer softball (recreational or travel league) and be at “peak performance” level. Soccer also would benefit because many girls are coming off the (many) indoor leagues during the winter.

3) Football fields, where most soccer teams play, would take less of a “hit” in the fall with all the activity at that time.

4) College coaches would have the opportunity to view more potential recruits since the college seasons would remain the same. (If the coach at KSU is interested in a player, he could watch her in a midweek September game, when KSU would not be playing.)

I realize there will be conflicts (i.e. with track and soccer); however, we have those same conflicts now (softball and track or soccer and volleyball).

No solution will be perfect, but the benefit of switching seasons outweigh the minuses.

TIM STAMM

Newton Falls