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.