Are high school sports still relevant? LancasterOnline 07/28/2011

Are high school sports still relevant?
In light of cultural changes and rising costs, proponents and opponents debate the importance of extracurricular activities on the scholastic levelIntelligencer Journal

Lancaster New Era

Updated Jul 28, 2011 00:01
By ED GRUVER and MATT BLYMIER
Staff

Participation fees have been ruled unlawful in several U.S. states by those whose belief it is that extracurricular activities — be it sports, marching band or student council — must be considered an integral part of public education.

Pennsylvania lawmakers have a different opinion. The Commonwealth does not regard extracurricular activities as part of the guaranteed basic public education.

Lancaster County athletic directors disagree.

"Our superintendent (Dr. Bruce Sensenig) feels athletics is part of the whole education process and should be included in it," said Cocalico A.D. Audrey Stoner.

Said Manheim Central A.D. George Derbyshire, "Students need (extracurricular activities) as much as they need everything else (connected with high school).

Not everyone agrees.

Those on the other side of the debate state on web sites and blogs that cultural changes over the past three decades have lessened the impact of scholastic sports to the point where high school teams are no longer the "Hoosiers"-like focal point of their communities.

"From what I've seen, that argument can be used in some school districts," Pequea Valley athletic director Greg Fantazzi said. "But I think high school sports still have validity. We've seen communities rally around their teams.

"Look at Manheim Central. Their fans show up at three o'clock for (7 p.m.) football games. Fans get riled up; they get together and bond."

The debate on the validity of extracurricular activities encompasses a variety of issues.

Proponents offer that since many families can't afford college tuition, extracurricular activities offer an avenue to continue their education via full or partial scholarships.

Opponents counter that since their tax dollars already go to feed other parent's children via free school breakfasts and lunches, is it their job to fund a college education as well?

To them, extracurricular activities are just that — "extra" — and should not be the burden of taxpayers. As a blogger in Cleveland wrote, "What, you think everyone else should pay for your kid to be a football player?"

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) disagrees. They prefer the term "co-curricular," stating "believing that activities support the academic mission of schools and are inherently educational" in their study titled "The Case for High School Activities."

Some blame the financial difficulties on the school districts themselves. Labeled on one web site as "overzealous," school districts are being accused of overspending and slapping taxpayers with a hike and students with participation fees.

Eliminate extracurricular activities from the school budget, and what happens to the life lessons that are such a big part of high school?

"(Extracurricular activities) adds so much to the (high school) process and athletics is a big part of it," said Stoner. "For a lot of people, when they think back on their high school years, they think about athletics."

Said Fantazzi, "Students involved in athletics find that it helps them in later years when they're setting goals.

"Studies show there's a correlation to students involved in (extracurricular activities) and higher G.P.A.'s. Take that away and you might see kids struggling academically. Emotionally and psychologically, (extracurricular activities) give kids a chance to mature."

Penn Manor athletic director Jeff Roth agreed.

"It is clear through study that students participating in athletics have a higher success rate in school, better attendance and higher levels of achievement and aspirations to attend higher levels of education," he said.

"Those students participating in extracurricular school activities build learning skills, self-confidence, leadership and teamwork skills. Students involved in athletics achieve higher overall academic performance and are more likely to find a positive place in school and the educational process.

"Those 'at risk' students that participate in athletics are less likely to drop out of school. All school districts must find ways to keep successful programs, such as athletics, that support student success on so many levels."

The NFHS study showed that students who participate in co-curricular activities are less likely to use drugs and have discipline referrals and more likely to graduate and have better GPA's than student who do not participate.

And there are many student-athletes at Lancaster County schools. A survey of 16 athletic directors, of county schools that are members of the L-L League, showed that an average of 44 percent of students (of the total student body, grades 7-12) participate in athletics.

The fallout from cutting back on sports at the scholastic level is that the people most likely to suffer are the "at risk" students Roth spoke of. The truth is, of the thousands of student-athletes on the rosters of Lancaster County high schools, there are far more role players than stars.

A 2005 College Board Research Report titled "Everyone Gains: Extracurriculars in High School and Higher SAT Scores concluded "students' levels of participation in ECAs in high school are related to meaningful gains in SAT scores."

The study also showed that "ECAs benefits minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged students as much as, or more than, advantaged white students" and "supplementary education programs benefit minorities and disadvantaged high school students who are often ill-served by traditional academic curricula."

Cut back on sports or reduce them to an elite activity through pay to play and educators believe there will be consequences.

"A lot of kids that aren't stars are going to be lost," Columbia athletic director Jim Rhoads said, "and they're usually the ones that benefit from athletics the most."

And the benefits, in the opinion of Manheim Township athletic director Kevin Raquet, are many.

"Character, hard work and passion are exemplified in sports," he said. "All of that you'll need in the real world, and athletics instills those values more than anything."

egruver@lnpnews.com
mblymier@lnpnews.com











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