[charlie22]

OK, I have answered my own question. Yes it is an option. A coach does not have to conduct spring ball if he doesn't want to. I know Trinity and Dixie do not. So for all those that don't like spring ball and want the KHSAA to do something about it, why not take it up with your coach. If it is the timing of spring ball, if you push it till mid April or later then you interfer with track and baseball. For teams that are already eliminated from the Basketball tournament, spring ball begins and his much less of a factor on baseball and track. I'm sure that is a majority of teams in the state.

Your point about the impact of spring football being later on baseball and track is a good one. If it's moved back to mid April or later, it will have a much greater adverse impact on those two sports than it does if its held in March. The baseball fields are usually too messed up for the baseball teams to be on them much in March. Sure, they can be working in the batting cage and throwing inside, but kids playing baseball and spring football can do those activites after spring football practice is over for the day if they want to. Furthermore, by mid April the baseball season is underway I think. Having a kid playing both sports miss a baseball game to attend spring football I'd think is much less desirable to a baseball coach than having the kid miss a session of batting cage and throwing with his teammates.

Honestly, there is no perfect solution. The football fans want it later; the baseball fans want it to happen as soon as possible after basketball ends to get it out of the way and the kids concentrating on baseball excusively.

The point someone made about artificial turf teams having an advantage over real turf teams is a valid one. However, as was pointed out by another poster, football coaches, players and fans should feel fortunate that there is any spring football practice permitted at all. Push too hard to move it later where it will interfere with baseball and track even more and I can see spring football going away entirely. Besides, if a team can't get on their field because it's so muddy, they can still get a whole lot out of practices in the gym going over alignments, systems, plays, philosophies, etc. Heck most teams I'm told don't do a lot of hitting in spring any way (Highlands is definitely one of the exceptions). Is practicing in gym a perfect thing? No, but it sure beats not getting to practice at all during spring.