Changes are needed for high school baseball, softball scheduling

Published 12:00 pm Wednesday, April 13, 2022

There is an ongoing situation in baseball and softball where high school players, coaches and fans are forced to endure temperatures that could be avoided.

Which one sounds better: Playing a competitive baseball game in bone-chilling temperatures in the first half of February, or playing a competitive baseball game in warm Alabama weather, but it takes place after graduation in May?

I believe many players, coaches, administrators and parents would be all for the latter of the two scenarios.

As it currently stands, baseball and softball get the worst of the high school sports scheduling. With both being “spring” sports, but also outside sports, combined with the amount of games played in a season, creates a scheduling conundrum where they get stuck practicing and playing at the beginning of the semester, in January and February, arguably the two coldest months of the year in Alabama.

These games are not short, either. All of the aforementioned parties are forced to brave cold temperatures that no sane person should have to endure.

Would it not make more sense to push the season back? It makes sense to me. Sure, graduation is important. Time needs to be set aside for it so students and families alike can make memories.

But, following graduation, would people really be that opposed to continuing the baseball and softball seasons, for at a maximum of 2-3 weeks, when there is a championship on the line?

I understand there would be obstacles needed to overcome. Many players need to get ready to play at the next level. Seniors not playing collegiate baseball or softball need to still get ready to move on to the next part of their lives in college as well. But I feel very strongly that many players would trade a few extra weeks of summer for a chance to win the title with their teammates. Those memories are just as important as graduation.

The tradeoff of a continuation of the season beyond the school year is offset by the avoidance of the coldest portion of the year. Ask any high school baseball and softball coach in the area. They can tell you how much of a difference a few weeks can make in the temperatures they are competing in.

Instead of starting in the middle of February, the season starts at the beginning of March.

Along with the issue of playing beyond graduation with college preparedness, another significant obstacle would be the legality of such an action. The Alabama High School Athletic Association would need to approve changing the schedule in such a way. Teams couldn’t just decide on a whim when they want to play the semifinals and title games.

Additionally, there are other ways to cut down on the length needed following graduation. Some of these games on the official schedule could be played over spring break, rather than having to travel to Gulf Shores to compete in these spring break tournaments.

After talking to a few coaches in the area, they assured me there is a huge competitive value to playing in these tournaments, and that is a fair point.

However, can teams not see the same level of competition, if not higher, without having to travel farther south than Birmingham? The competition in northern Alabama is top-tier no questions asked. Why not stay closer to home and play regular season games, instead of going all the way to the southern portion of the state to participate in tournament games?

Furthermore, why not play 40 games, instead of 50 games, or 30 instead of 40?

I understand the issue is far more complicated than this, but the problem remains.