Students struggle to play sports and balance their academics every year. Playing a sport had been a distraction to a lot of students. “Well it’s very difficult to balance your school work while playing a sport because some coaches think it might benefit you if you practice until 9:00 p.m. some nights and you don’t have any time to do your homework. And then they complain when you get bad grades,” sophomore Zach Meyers said.
By CHRISTINA KURIAN – Staff Writer
Academics trump athletics in the high school arena, and the Georgia High School Association eligibility policy, which states a student has to be passing five classes to play a sport, puts a fair emphasis on academics.
High school is an institution meant for educating children in core subjects and electives; therefore, a students’ focus should be on school in order to pursue a vocational or college degree, and not for primarily focusing on athletics.
According to freedom.mysdhc.org, 98 percent of high school athletes never play collegiate sports of any kind, at any level. College, however, can lead to many opportunities, but requires a high school diploma. Passing core classes are vital, and if sports prohibit this, then a student shouldn’t be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities.
Under the Georgia High School Association, Clarke Central High School has acknowledged this and has enforced the five-out-of-seven rule. If a student is failing more than two classes, they cannot take part in sports.
Sports are some of the most time consuming extracurricular activities available at the high school level. Athletics require a lot of a students’ time, which could be used to pass failing classes.
I chose not to participate in a winter sport so that I could focus more on my studies. Sports normally consumed two and half hours everyday after school and my Saturday mornings. Whenever I got home after practice, I was exhausted and went straight to bed after my shower, which eliminated time for studying. I was too tired to focus. The time spent not focusing on the sport has improved my grades tremendously.
There is the probability that playing a sport may lead to a professional career. But in reality, this is unlikely. For example, in mens basketball, three in 10,000, or approximately 0.03 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic basketball will eventually be drafted by an NBA team. Focusing on sports as a driving force in your life may lead to many closed paths and opportunities.
Academics can open more paths and opportunities leading to prosperity. The core subjects that one learns may help them in their educational life and possibly with life skills.
The rule, having to be able to pass at least five classes, can be seen as positive to students as well. Restricting students from playing their favorite sports may push them into working harder in classes to pass classes. The rule can be a motivation to many athletes students.
CCHS’ policy may seem unfair, but we must recognize that as a school its primary function is to educate students in academics. Many teachers give the students many chances to succeed. They offer retakes, corrections and extra credit opportunities to help students. Failing more than two classes is unacceptable in the eyes of the school, making the rule justified. If a student doesn’t hold the capacities to succeed in at least five classes, playing a sport should not be a reward.
