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Track and field at the high school level is the least funded of any sport. I was captain of the track team in my junior and senior year and high scorer in the state. To even imagine that practice uniforms were provided is humorous beyond belief. I had to buy my own shot put and discuss for practice and one of the pole vaulters had to but his own pole because he was heavier than the 150lb. poles the school provided. I had to provide my own transportation to the Penn Relays and to other regional invitational meets. Our meet jerseys were at least ten years old and were kept presentable by the sewing classes in the off season.

"Team discipline is from the ground up." Save for the relay, track and field is entirely an individual effort. I trained and competed in seven different events, concentrating in the days before a meet on the 3 that the team needed points to win that meet. I practiced in whatever I had that was clean and weather appropriate and that included being shirtless sometimes. You know what? Our regional champion baseball team dressed the same way for practice.

If your JV baseball team needs military discipline to perform at their best, it can only mean that they don't really want to play. Perhaps you've taken the fun out of it. It is a game.

They don´t play unless they wear hats either. Given the overall degradation of American high schools in general (of which mine is no exception) athletes can certainly use some discipline. No one´s forcing them come out for the team.

Sorry your school was so cheap.