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PAL coach: Program offers shot to improve

The West Hernando assistant director and JV coach says PAL can keep kids playing.

By VINCENT THOMAS
Published June 14, 2006

Michael Zink asks the question: "Why not PAL football?"

That is what he wonders when he reads about incoming freshmen at Nature Coast Tech not allowed to practice during the summer due to the "bona fide student" rule in the Florida High School Athletic Association bylaws.

Why should a kid sit out the whole summer, lose ground to his classmates and face the prospect of suiting up for a school and never getting time on the field, Zink wonders, when he has the Police Athletic League as an option?

"They can come and play for our junior varsity or varsity team and get plays on the field and keep getting better," said the West Hernando Cougars assistant director and junior varsity coach. "I don't know if all the parents know we're out here as an alternative."

It might sound like self-promotion, but Zink contends that his call for the castaways is out of a genuine desire to help kids.

The Cougars play against teams from all over the Bay area, including Dade City, Hudson and New Tampa. Although it's virtually free to play for the local high school, Zink says that the $150 cost to play PAL is worth it for some athletes.

"I've seen kids come in their freshman years, not get any time with their high school team, quit, gain 50 pounds and you look up two years later and they're not involved in sports," he said.

Incoming Nature Coast freshmen are being turned away from summer workouts because, according to FHSAA rules, they were not "bona fide students" until they are students in "regular attendance" or by the first day of FHSAA-sanctioned practices, which is July 31. Some parents of incoming freshmen think this rule puts their sons at a disadvantage.

Nature Coast coach Jamie Joyner said he can empathize with Zink, but he doesn't agree.

"I can understand those guys wanting some of the kids to play with them," Joyner said. "But I would rather have them in our program. I don't like anything that competes with high school sports. I think the kids are much better off with their high school, learning the system."

Joyner also said that, aside from the speed and agility the players work on during June and July, the incoming freshmen won't be missing out on too much, since PAL practices don't start until early July and incoming freshman can join their high school squads July 31.

Vincent Thomas can be reached at vthomas@sptimes.com or 352 848-1430.

[Last modified June 14, 2006, 06:53:59]