PREPNET / SPEAK OUT

Playoffs for winter sports will still be going when spring sports start. Are the seasons too close together?

HALEIGH ROACH

Capistrano Valley, Soccer

I don’t think the seasons are too close together. It only causes conflicts for the teams who make it to the playoffs and have people participating in spring sports. Playoffs are over before the spring sports truly get started with their season. Plus, there isn’t much more time available to waste in between seasons.

RACHAEL ZIEMANN

Edison, Basketball/Track and Field

I think having more time between sports would be a good thing. Like basketball, we have all of summer and the preseason to practice, but we’re kind of just thrown into track because our basketball team went to CIF. Even if we didn’t go, we still don’t have that much of a preseason. Usually in the basketball season, [my dad, sister and I] practice [track] Sundays so it’s not such a shock, but it’s still hard for us because track is more mental and it’s all up to you, so a little bit more time would be better.

BRIAN BURNETTE

San Clemente, Parent

The players who play two or more sports are put at a disad-

vantage. The volleyball team is practicing, but my son can’t practice with them because he is practicing for CIF playoffs for basketball. This cycle is never-ending. Coaches from one sport are disappointed and sometimes offended that a certain player doesn’t devote all of his focus on one sport. The sport should not start on campus until the CIF playoffs are through.

CLIFF MCKINLEY

Fountain Valley, Soccer

There should be more time between sports. Guys need a chance to prepare for the other sport. We have a guy, John Clark, on our team who plays baseball. He’s trying to play both. But he doesn’t have his mind on baseball, because we’re involved in the playoffs.

BOB FLINT

Irvine, Baseball Coach

If the fall, winter and spring sports seasons could somehow be spread apart more it would be better for the athlete. We are in a time of seeing less and less multi-sport athletes in high school. This is due to out-of-season demands of other sports and the overlap of fall, winter and spring sports. When kids work hard through an off-season, then go through the demands of the regular season of one sport, they too often feel tired or feel they are at a disadvantage in terms of skill level to immediately transition to another sport. Kids need time to be kids. We as coaches don’t give them much time.

BOB HILLMAN

Businessman/Former

walk-on coach

How to remedy this problem is another issue. I would say to start the spring sports season a few weeks later, and let them run into the early summer, or through the end of June.

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NEXT QUESTION

Should the Southern Section allow athletes to compete for club teams when it conflicts with their playing for their high schools?