I don't think anyone that is fair minded thinks that hiring the best local stick to drive your kids at each tournament is ethical. However, as with any rule, its all about how you can enforce the rule. At what point does it stop being a reimbursement and become hiring a captain? How do you audit the claimed compensation to prove one way or the other? THSBA doesn't have the staff to audit every "volunteer" captain's reimbursement/payment or lack there of. If you don't allow for reimbursement of expenses many of the volunteer captains would not be able to help these kids. I don't think most people commenting on this thread realize just how many kids are driven by volunteer captains instead of relatives. It's a huge number. May even be a majority in many divisions. I've seen both sides of this coin. My wife is the adviser for our high school fishing team and I captain my son and his partner. On one hand I see the unfair advantage gained by the very few that truly hire a captain. On the other hand I see how incredibly hard it is to get volunteer captains for some of the less fortunate kids. THSBA has shown they are willing to change rules to make the organization better. If this is as big of a problem as some seem to think, you should voice those concerns. I'm sure they will give them proper consideration.

I’ve been a thsba boat captain for 4 yrs. I think its not right when people HIRE a boat captain for money. Our school supports our team and fills up your truck and boat for each tournament and fundraising and sponsors pays for the hotel rooms but that’s it. Sometimes the parents chip in on expense but just to keep it straight I’d just as soon not take any money. It costs me money to do it, when you figure the gas and hotels prefishing and all the snacks drinks, baits rods and tackle, etc. but I don’t do it to make money it’s my way of giving back. I do think it’s perfectly fine to reimburse a captain for his expenses, but his time should be donated. For me it’s about keeping kids out of trouble and hopefully passing along something that will stay a part of their life. The first two yrs I captained for my son and another kid we didn’t know who became my sons best friend, they still go hunting or fishing on their own nearly every weekend and stay out of trouble. The kids on my team now wouldn’t get to go if I didn’t take them. If I can be a positive impact and they are busy fishing instead of having idle time and getting hooked on dope or worse, then that far outweighs the worry about someone hiring a boat captain and beating us. But, it’s just like any other sport, racing, life in general, some people will will push the limits and some will people cheat. I can’t say anything negative about thsba, I think it’s the best thing thats come along and it’s run by great people. Its a positive thing for so many kids that don’t play other sports and it gives them incentive to pass all their classes. It has also made me a better fisherman.

HUGE fan of THSBA - year 5 as a boat captain. I captained my son and his partner for the first 4 years. This year, I am helping with a team at a different school. I don’t expect payment, but do expect them to be serious and prepared. We hit their spots and I fish off the back deck for the captains side pot. I pick my moments to offer suggestions, try to keep their focus & spirits up, and help with the net. One thing my son and I had to learn was to not be jealous of the other teams’ success, new boats, or fancy electronics.

I really enjoyed the earliest years of THSBA, because with smaller divisions we got to fish a better variety of lakes. As a former bank fisherman, THSBA introduced me to lakes I never heard of. THSBA’s growth is a good thing, so I am not complaining.

If you are lucky enough to captain your kid, enjoy the time on the water. Four years of high school goes by fast.

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