Neff Zone Column -- January 26, 2008

Print Edition: January 26, 2008

TWO PROPOSALS COULD DRAMATICALLY CHANGE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

A couple of proposals are being discussed that could dramatically change high school sports in Michigan. While neither is ready for immediate implementation, high school sports athletes, parents of athletes, fans and even the general public might want to pay close attention.

The first proposal is being promoted by Greg Murray, head of the Mt. Clemens school board, who wants the state to adopt stricter standards for students wishing to participate in sports. Under Murray’s standard student-athletes would be required to maintain a 3.0 grade point average (B average) in order to be eligible to play. Right now the state (Michigan High School Athletic Association – MHSAA) has very minimal standards and pretty much lets local school districts set their own eligibility requirements.

On first glance, it’s easy to adopt a rigid stance on this: "If they want to play it’s school first and sports second." However, there’s more to it than that.

First of all, we all know that a B in one school is not necessarily the same as a B in another school, which is a built-in imbalance right out of the gate. In a perfect world every B would be the same as every other B statewide, but that’s just not the case.

Secondly, having such a rigid standard does not take into account a student-athlete’s class schedule. The student taking chemistry, trigonometry, and advanced English has a tougher road than one taking less difficult classes. Some leeway is needed to encourage student-athletes to take more rigorous classes, even ones in which they might get a C.

Finally, if student-athletes are going to be held to a stricter standard, fairness would demand that all students participating in any extra curricular activity be held to the same standard. So far I’ve not seen any proposals to ban students with below a B average from participating in student government, homecoming activities, community service, or proms.

Now, lest you think I’m an old softie, I think a C average is a reasonable standard. I would ask you to pose this question to yourself: "When I was in high school would I have been eligible to play sports if a B average was required?"

I can tell you right now, I would not have been eligible. I graduated with around a 2.7/C+ average. In our high school (Flint St. Michael) we had to take math every year. Despite all my efforts, my parents’ help, and threats from some very imposing nuns I just could not get math. Still can’t; I’m not allowed to touch the family checkbook. I had three D’s and one C- in four years of math and my dad was jubilant that I did so well.

Even so, I was fortunate enough to play football and baseball. A 3.0 average (or better) is a worthwhile goal for all students, but being too rigid might not be the best course of action here. Parents and local school districts should take the lead in setting standards for their own students and athletes, not the state.

The other proposal being tossed around involves changing the high school sports seasons. As reported by Mick McCabe in the Detroit Free Press: "The MHSAA is considering revamping its calendar so drastically it would make this school year's switching of girls basketball season from the fall to the winter and volleyball from the winter to the fall look like minor adjustments. MHSAA executive director Jack Roberts is floating a plan that would change the calendar from three seasons to five. High schools' sports seasons would begin the first week of August and end the last weekend in June." As I noted before, I’m pretty bad at math, but even I can see this adds up to an 11-month high school sports calendar, with July being the only month off.

All this is due to the girl’s basketball/volleyball switch which has led to dramatic declines in sports participation by students and plummeting game attendance. Volleyball lost 658 participants last fall, for example, as 61 schools dropped freshmen teams. The MHSAA proposal supposedly counteracts this by stretching out the sports year.

According to McCabe, here’s how the seasons would go. "Season One would begin practice the first Wednesday of August (football would start practice on the first Monday) and begin games about two weeks later. Using the dates for the 2009-10 school year as an example, championships would be: Oct. 17, boys tennis and girls golf; Oct. 24, boys and girls cross-country; Oct. 31, boys soccer; Nov. 14, girls swimming and diving; Nov. 21, volleyball; Nov. 28, football. Sports in Season Two would begin practice Nov. 2 and the championships would be: Feb. 6, gymnastics; Feb. 13, boys swimming and diving; Feb. 20, girls basketball. Sports in Season Three would begin practice Nov. 9 or Nov. 16 and the finals would be: Feb. 22, skiing; March 6, boys and girls bowling; March 20, hockey. (Boys swimming and diving could be placed in this season and would end Feb. 20.) Sports in Season Four would begin practice Jan. 11 and the finals would be: April 10, competitive cheer; April 17, team wrestling; April 24, individual wrestling; May 1, boys basketball. Sports in Season Five would begin practice April 12 and since school would no longer be in session, the MHSAA would have a championship festival with finals conducted Monday through Saturday, June 21-26.

Confused? Me too, but putting that aside here are some thoughts to add to the mix.

Remember that "B average for eligibility" requirement also being proposed? Well, with Season One beginning the first of August and school not starting until after Labor Day more than a month later, by the time any actual schoolwork is done and enough grades are accumulated to determine eligibility the season will be half over. In short, Season One athletes will not be subject to eligibility standards until the last few contests.

On the other end, what are you going to do about seniors, many of whom will graduate in May prior to Memorial Day, during the last month of Season Five? A better question might be why would a senior elect to participate in a Season Five sport for a full month after their high school career has ended?

If a student-athlete plays a Season One sport and a Season Five sport any summer job is out of the question. Family vacations are kaput too, unless you schedule in July. And what about coaches, officials, boosters, the people who work in concession stands, game volunteers – when do they get a break in this 11-month high school athletics marathon?

Again, these are two proposals that bear watching. I’m thinking this may be a prime case of more is less.

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Comments to neffzone@gmail.com. Read Neff Zone columns online at www.neffzone.com/cadillacnews.