"In question was the rule stating outside soccer teams are not allowed to use district facilities, in this case practice fields, during the closed season period."
The state needs to take a closer look at this rule. Many of South Carolina's top high school coaches also coach club soccer. In Columbia (CUFC) and Greenville (CESA) it may not a problem because the club's own or lease their own practice and game fields.
But in other areas, smaller clubs (Discoveries) only have access to fields that are owned by either the school district, or the town's Parks & Rec department. If the fields owned by Parks & Rec are booked by recreational soccer, or are limited to game-use only, the only alternative the coach has is to practice on school district owned facilities.
If the coach is conducting a fall season club practice at Happy Valley Middle School, and that middle school feeds into Kennedy HS, and there is one player on the team practicing who attends Kennedy High....the coach is busted.
Kids play sports because they find it fun. Eliminate the fun and soon you eliminate the kid.
