Ready or not, here they come. The school district is poised to move all ninth grade athletics to the high school level, and not all current high school students are happy about it. But they should be.
The proposal would do away completely with freshmen athletics at the junior highs. Instead, the ninth graders would have to come to their respective high schools to play ball. Generally, the district would create ninth grade teams similar to those at the Olathe and Shawnee Mission schools. However, much to the chagrin of many upperclassmen, this move opens the door for freshmen to play on the varsity or junior varsity level.
Now before we grab our torches and pitchforks and make our protest march to the district office, let us first consider why the district would make this change in the first place.
First, this is only a one year solution. Freshmen come up to the high schools in two years regardless, but in the meantime, the district looks to ease the transition and save some cash in the process by moving freshmen sports to the high schools.
Second, no ninth grader is going “take” a spot from an upperclassmen. They might earn it, but by know means is this theft. Generally speaking, the ninth graders will stick to the freshman team or C team, and juniors and senior will not even notice the new presence. However, if a ninth grader is good enough to play on varsity, then he or she ought to be able to do so. If high schoolers do not want to lose their positions, they should step up their games.
Third, some opponents to change have asserted that integrating freshmen into high school athletics will place tiny little freshmen in harm’s way and somehow hamper their development. Slow down a second. From a junior high perspective, this is the best thing that could possibly happen for ninth grade sports. These kids will face better competition and be presented with better facilities than they would at the junior highs. Additionally, what a great experience this will be for the freshmen both athletically and socially. Those freshmen lucky enough to play sports at the high schools will establish friendships at the high school level they can continue for several years to come. Anyone who says that freshmen would be better off at the junior highs probably just does not want them around.
Fourth and finally, this move will help the high school programs. Granted, very few freshmen will make an immediate impact on the high school scene, but both Lawrence High and Free State will gain added depth. Not only will high school coaches get the opportunity to work with their players for an additional year, but they will produce better athletes by exposing them to tougher competition early on.
It is an absolute win-win situation. Everyone benefits: the freshmen enjoy a great experience, the teams improve and the district saves money. This is one of the best ideas the district has had all year. Instead of a protest march, how about a parade?
