Failing School and Playing Sports: Acceptable? By Erika Naegeli

When a student is failing three out of four subjects in school, should they be able to compete in high school sports? Should they be trying to keep their grades up by spending their time being tutored and doing their homework, or should they be playing and practicing with their teammates, making the best team possible to represent East Ridge High School? Are we more focused on winning games and building a reputation for East Ridge than teaching students what they need to learn to function in society, or can we meet in the middle? That’s been the debate lately at East Ridge, where opinions can be strong and each side has accurate points.
“East Ridge is committed to the WHOLE student,” Trent Hanson, the Athletic Director explained, “We want them to balance academics, activities, family, and friends. Here at East Ridge, we have high expectations for all students.”
“Academics should be the number one priority. We assume you are putting more effort toward your classes, rather than the other activities you’re also in,” Matt Kraft, the Assistant Principal elaborates, “In my mind, the order of priorities you should have is family, religion, health, grades, and then athletics and extracurriculars.”
At East Ridge, we abide by the MSHSL (Minnesota State High School League) and District 833 Eligibility Policy. It basically states that a student has to meet the credit requirements for the school in four years starting in ninth grade. “If a student is found struggling to pass, the coach or AD will review their progress, and their eligibility will be pending. It really depends on their age, the coach, and the term we are in.” Mr. Hanson explains.
You would think that removing a student from a sports team for failing some classes would free up their time and allow them to spend more time on their schoolwork, but this isn’t necessarily true. It may show no change. “For some students, sports are the only thing they look forward to in the day. If you take them out of that, they have no reason they should come,” Mr. Kraft speculates. “I think it is about finding some middle ground between the two extremes.”
So what can be done? Does East Ridge want them to graduate and be successful in life, or to be able to participate in the sports they love? “What I think would be a good middle ground would be if they were failing, instead of having them removed, they simply would not be allowed to compete with the team. They can still practice with the team and cheer them on in meets and games.” Mr. Kraft explains.
While in some situations there is no happy medium, this is not one of them. Turning a blind eye to children failing will not help them. Are students and sports simply not meant to be balanced on the same scale? If they aren’t, we try to make them. If they are, we tip the scale one way or another. So what should change and what should remain the same? For now, one can only speculate.