Can a second-year Division 3 player get cut by a new coach while recovering from an injury sustained during the prior season, therefore being unable to fully participate in “try-outs” due to doctor’s instructions? It isn’t a career-ending injury. Player will be fully functional within another month.
I should add that it’s for a spring sport.
I would think yes, though it would be a #(&*@ move by the coach.
No one, even D1 headcount sport athletes receiving a full scholarship, are guaranteed a spot on the roster or playing time. Scholarship players have some rights concerning their scholarship but not a roster spot.
It does seem the new coach should give everyone a chance to make the team. Can your son talk to a captain or a returning assistant coach about his situation? Can he write a letter to the new coach about his injury and recovery timeline, and of course mentioning his dedication to the team?
Did the athlete talk to the coach? I’d start there. Email specific information about the injury and the recovery timeline, then ask for a meeting to discuss alternative or delay to tryouts. Coaches understand how injuries work; no coach wants to cut a talented player who has a temporary injury. But if talent is the issue then, yes, the player can be cut.
I think the coach can do whatever he wants. There might be more involved than just the injury. If a player is a starter or one of the best on the team, they won’t be cut like this. Was your son on the bubble anyway? Was he second string or spent a lot of time on the bench (or the equivalent for his sport)? Maybe there was a very strong freshman class and he wasn’t going to make the team anyway. There are never any guarantees.
^^^This.
@sushiritto: That does not apply to DIII athletes as no athletic scholarships are awarded in DIII.
@Publisher Understood.
Yes. In addition, such an injured player can be cut by a returning coach. Indeed, a coach, new or old, can cut a player for any number of reasons.
Whether the reason for the cut is an injury, or the injury is a smokescreen, cannot be determined based upon the information given; the player needs to have a conversation with the coach.
I would guess that there is more to the story. Generally speaking, you aren’t cut if you were injured playing the sport with the team, especially at a D3. Would help to know the sport in question.
D3 players can get cut for any reason, at any time. D3 coaches we met with during the recruiting process often offered some variation of “I’m offering you a spot on the team for your first year. After that, it’s up to you what happens. If you contribute, you keep your spot.” We know kids at a number of schools who lost roster spot for injuries, after better players in their position were recruited in after them, disciplinary problems etc.
As others suggested, encourage the student to request a meeting with new Coach and Assistant, particularly if the Assistants haven’t changed, to discuss roster plans.
The sport is softball. This is the 4th coach the team has had since last September, and he was hired in August. The player did speak with the coach on Day 1 about her injury, provided documentation from the orthopedic doctor and physical therapist, and was provided a “throwing program” by the athletic trainer at the college. The school even has a medical file documenting when she got injured during the spring season, as she saw the athletic trainer back then. She was told that she would be able to participate 100% by October. The school recruited many more players than were needed, as only 1 graduated, and 6 other girls play the same position.
The player voiced her concerns about the cuts the coach announced would happen, and not being able to show what she could contribute to the team before he made those cuts. He told her that he didn’t want any players worrying about the cuts. The introduction email he sent to the parents implied that the cuts would be made in mid-October, after multiple intersquad scrimmages through mid-October, as well as a double-header against a D2 team at the end of September.
Fast forward 12 days and the player asked for a meeting with the coach to discuss that the trainer just increased her pitch count, therefore she’d like to be included in the sessions with the pitching coach that she had been previously excluded from. At the meeting, before she said anything, was told that he has six healthy pitchers from which to choose, and she has an injured shoulder, therefore she was off the roster. The player stated how her pitch count just increased, that’s why she asked to meet him. His only reply was that he was sorry.
There is no other relevant information. She pitched in several games the previous year, along with 2 other pitchers, and also batted many times, in fact the only pitcher who was allowed to bat, although obviously the new coach hadn’t seen that. I was curious as to how a coach could cut a returning player that he couldn’t evaluate, because he wasn’t willing to give her the short amount of time left for her shoulder to heal.
That’s the issue. 7 players and there are probably only 3 or 4 pitchers, of which at least 2 I’d guess are utility players. Presumably he also has access to last year’s stats. But whatever, he has a vision for the team.
It sucks for her, but his team, his rules.
She was specifically told that it was because of her shoulder injury. No other reason.
No other reason given. I’ve been known to break up with a person and say “It’s not you; it’s me.” But the reality was, it was him, not me.
Clearly we (and you) do not know the whole story, but the stated reason is not always the real reason.
I realize that a team can’t have 7 pitchers. That being said, I found it unethical to cut one solely because he couldn’t evaluate her before October. She did meet with the athletic director the day after she was cut to ask for a release form so she could apply to other schools. The AD, after looking at the player’s medical file, told her the coach was wrong to have done that, and that she wanted to speak to him. The AD also said she could get her back on the roster to give her more time to be fairly evaluated. The player declined, as she felt the coach would hold it against her because she went to the AD, even though it was just for the release form, not to report him.
48 hours after being cut, she had emails out to coaches from other schools who had shown prior interest, and were a good fit for her academically. She was contacted within two hours of sending the emails, and will be transferring to one of those schools in January.
I love a happy ending. Seriously, coaches suck. And I was one (not softball). 
Regarding not being told the “real” reason, the other players who were cut WERE told their skill level wasn’t at the level of the other players. This player wasn’t given the opportunity and time required to show her skill level yet due to the injury, therefore he didn’t, and couldn’t, say it was because of a lack of talent.
That’s tough but other than continuing with the workouts and hoping she can out pitch someone in the spring, there isn’t much she can do. Are there intramurals?
I think it is the unfortunate case of a new coach wanting his own recruits or those recruited by the other 3 coaches over the last year.
Often the stats don’t tell the whole story, like if your daughter could pitch out of a jam or is a leader for her position or the team. She may be needed if others quit or get hurt but it is really tough to be cut or on the practice squad. If the pitching coach the same as the head coach? Can the pitching coach be of any help?
I’m sorry this happened.