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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 478
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 478 |
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Coach Chass,
I am not current on all the HSL rules, but I can tell you "home school" teams are not public schools. In the past three years that we have played in various tournaments there has been occasion that I have had to call the HSL and talk with the commissioner. In 2010 he initially denied us (PAC)entry into the very first tournament we tried to enter, but later gave us approval and basically said he would watch our "behavior" and "conduct" in the tournament. We had no problems until this fall. All four teams JV and Varsity have been in numerous tournaments.
Our JV girls have had the most success, winning the Irmo JV highest bracket last spring. We usually finish somewhere in the middle to lower end of the tournaments. Is this a problem?
I was told one of the issues is that we could possibly travel around the state and recruit "the best" players. Really??? I can tell you this, you can't recruit anyone to give up their job and home school their child/children unless they have a very good reason to do so. Another thing, if you know any home schoolers you will know there are not that many who are willing to forego "family time" to cart a child across state to play soccer, let alone pay hundreds of $$$. Remember this is a one income family more than likely and most likely thier child has only played rec or church league.
Honestly, we are not a threat to any public or private school team. We try to follow the HSL rules as closely as possible, not because we have to but because we don't want to cause any problems. There are somethings that we have to do that may seem "unfair", like having tryouts early. Reason being #1 so I will know we have enough players for each team and have time to notify teams we have scheduled with if we cannot fulfill our commitment, #2 so uniforms can be ordered. Each player has to pay for their uniforms therefore they get to keep them, so we run more like a club purchasing uniforms every two years but having to order for those joining in on the odd year. Being funded totally by the player, there is no other way to make it work.
We are not out to make money or gain big titles (everyone likes to win though:) It is about the kids, their development as athletes and letting them have fun in the process.
I admire what your organization is doing and if my wife was able to stay at home and homeschool, she would.
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 688
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Could you "B.E." more transparent? 
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 422
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 422 |
Quote:
I was told one of the issues is that we could possibly travel around the state and recruit "the best" players. Really???
It Is, What It Is, They must "B.E." thinking of another school. 
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 688
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 688 |
Quote:
Quote:
I was told one of the issues is that we could possibly travel around the state and recruit "the best" players. Really???
It Is, What It Is, They must "B.E." thinking of another school.
I was making a joke, but I believe, it is what the other guy meant. I may be wrong, he can clarify.
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 422
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What about the "Tim Tebow Law?" As a group of home-schooled students they may not be able to play, but due to the Equal Access to Interscholastic Activities Act, they each can individually participate with any school of their choosing. I may be misinterpreting the Law, but with the students now having a choice of what school to play for, the HSL must feel that there is no need to allow Home-School teams access to competitive play.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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You are probably right, that is the only thing that has changed. I know a young lady who is a senior getting to play her first high school season - a home schooled kid. Chapman is very fourtunate to get her.
As far as a team of them goes... who cares, as long as they are age appropriate let them play, IMHO. We should be about getting kids engauged and not making them stay at home.
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 422
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I am glad that home school kids can play in Public schools, but then the HSL should be more concerned about possible recruiting. At least with a Home School team, you had a BETTER chance of the players all being from the same area.
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 137
Goal Kick
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Goal Kick
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 137 |
You are correct, the "Tim Tebow" law was passed this summer. It is great for home schoolers, it opens up many opportunities not only in athletics but in other extra curricular activities that we have never had before and had it been passed three years ago PAC never would have been formed. My concern then was only for my son and giving him a place to play, he would have made any public school team without a doubt. Today my concern is for the other kids that play PAC soccer and the close to two hundred kids that participate in the other PAC sports as well as the other home school sports organizations. Do we pack it up and say go try out for your local public school? The fact of the matter is most of the kids would not make the public school team for a variety of reasons. If you are a "Tim Tebow", of course you will make it, but if it is between a home schooler and a public school kid with equal talent that has been a part of the program since 7th grade, who is going to make the team?
Back then I would have said "it is what it is, either you have what it takes or you don't". Today I see how much our organization benefits these kids who would otherwise not play high school athletics. We have been blessed with great coaches that put their heart and soul into these kids and have brought them to the point that they can compete well with most jv and varsity programs at the A-AAA level. This year I will not even have child playing PAC full time (daughter plays club still in spring and my son won't be eligible), but I could never shut it down because of that or because of the law that was passed that may allow a fraction of our participants to play at the local high school.
Is there not room for our teams? If the SCHSL doesn't care that we play region games, why would it matter that we play in a couple tournaments? I'm trying to understand, but frankly it makes no sense and is actually putting more restrictions on independant organizations than were there to begin with. I feel as though we have taken a huge step backwards instead of forwards. I don't believe that is what was intended when the equal access law was passed.
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 137
Goal Kick
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Goal Kick
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Posts: 137 |
Another point...most of the better players are going to tryout at their local high schools as in the example stated above. The point is to let the kids play, mediocre or best of the best, all can kids benefit from playing at the high school level.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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When in doubt, we should let kids play. Involved kids are less like to slip into something bad.
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