Michigan joins the rest of us

[Jimgolf]

With volleyball in the fall and girls basketball in the winter, Michigan is adjusting to the new realities.

Story at: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/a...=2007708160348

[CoachP]

[bob jenkins]

Old news. And, other states have some sports "off season" from the norm.

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by Jimgolf

With volleyball in the fall and girls basketball in the winter, Michigan is adjusting to the new realities.

Story at: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/a...=2007708160348

So, why does Hawaii play girls basketball in the spring, and Georgia play softball in the fall?

Volleyball may have aligned with the "rest of the country", but other sports in other states are still not uniform. but since I promised myself to stay off the soapbox, I won't get into my opinions again.. Besides, CoachP shares my sentiments.

[Mark Padgett]

I'm waiting for outdoor ice hockey in the summer.

[NewNCref]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I'm waiting for outdoor ice hockey in the summer.

It's called Water Polo

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I'm waiting for outdoor ice hockey in the summer.

Not a joking matter.

The 1984 Polish National hockey team all drowned during spring training.

[Corndog89]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

So, why does Hawaii play girls basketball in the spring, and Georgia play softball in the fall?

Actually, because of the Michigan ruling, Hawaii is moving girls b-ball to the winter at the same time as the boys season starting this school year. With the limited number of gyms available, it's going to be a MESS, at least on Oahu.

[JRutledge]

Do you guys actually think that other states have a lot of gym space? Michigan is a rural state like Illinois and many of the schools in this state do not have multiple gyms. And in many cases the gym used for HS ball is the very same gym they play Junior High and other non-HS activities. I really think once people in Michigan get over what they think the issues are, they will get along just like everyone else. I also read in the article or a response in the forum that said many of the top officials would not be available. Well if you train and give opportunities to other individuals, you might just raise the level of officiating across the board. Some people just need an opportunity and this means you will have many experienced varsity officials that can cover games. I do not think this is a unique situation for Michigan.

Peace

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Michigan is a rural state like Illinois [...]. I really think once people in Michigan get over what they think the issues are, they will get along just like everyone else.

That would explain some of the livestock I encounter at games.

My personal opinion is that this first year is going to be one of adjustments, and within 2-3 years thinks will stabilize a bit.

Last weekend, I was talking to ref crew before one of the games (not sure if RM is still a trainer here), and for basketball, one idea is to have the new(er) officials call middle school girls basketball in the areas where that remains a fall sport so that they get experience for the winter high school season.

We will make do the best we can.

[Jimgolf]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Old news. And, other states have some sports "off season" from the norm.

While the story of the lawsuit has been around for years, I thought some would be interested in an update.

I'm sure the sun will come up tomorrow, but Michigan still has some adjusting to do.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by NewNCref

It's called Water Polo

I have a niece who played water polo in HS. She has said that if she had a dollar for every time someone asked her about the "horses drowning", she'd be a millionaire. She said she would spend all the money on sex, drugs and rock & roll - but without the sex and the drugs.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

She said she would spend all the money on sex, drugs and rock & roll - but without the sex and the drugs.

I'd spend half on sex, drugs and booze -- and waste the other half.

[angryZebra]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

So, why does Hawaii play girls basketball in the spring, and Georgia play softball in the fall?

maybe because they are trying to work around the rainy season? I would think they try to play softball/baseball during the driest part of the year?

[Corndog89]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man
So, why does Hawaii play girls basketball in the spring, and Georgia play softball in the fall?

Originally Posted by angryZebra

maybe because they are trying to work around the rainy season? I would think they try to play softball/baseball during the driest part of the year?

I can't speak for Georgia, but in Hawaii the driving factor was very limited gym and field space, especially among the private schools. Of the 20 or so private schools on Oahu (some co-ed, some all-boys, some all-girls) there are only about 10 gyms, and 2-3 of those are really inadequate for D-I HS games, so the schools with gyms have to share with those without. And the public schools and private schools do not share facilities (with the exception of Aloha Stadium for football games). The same is true of baseball, softball, and soccer fields...plus 2 of the NCAA D-II schools (men & women) on island use the same gyms as well; and UH facilities are used only for state tournaments. Therefore, it made sense to separate the boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, and volleyball seasons, and fortunately the weather allows any sport to be played any time of the year there.

I called private school basketball in Hawaii the last 3 years and 2 more years a few years before that...there are separate associations for the private and public leagues and I happened to join the private school assoc when I moved there. When the boys and girls seasons were split there were usually 2-3 games (some combination of varsity, JV, freshman) per gym per night, 4-5 nights per week plus 3-5 more on Saturdays...and that doesn't even include middle school games. The gyms were in constant use. Now that boys and girls will play in the same season it will be a scheduling nightmare (and not only for games but for double the practice time now). One of the benefits of Hawaii is that some practices and conceivably even some lower-level games could be played outside, but no one wants that. On top of that, there is a shortage of varsity-capable officials and the ILH (private league) coaches and AD's have, in my opnion anyway, far too much power in determining who they will accept as varsity officials. On top of everything else, societally Hawaii is a very entrenched place...change in general is not welcome and feet will be dragged.

As I said in an earlier post, it will be a MESS! And I don't mean to imply it's necessarily a bad thing...just that it will be ugly there for 2-3 years (or longer??). Until they figure it out and all the parties involved decide to accept the inevitable and move forward, it will be a mess.