The Jefferson School Committee is considering a revamp to the athletics program after the shortfalls of the tryout process were called into question during the Tuesday, Sept. 8 committee meeting.
Kids in kindergarten through sixth grade can participate in Jefferson Sports Association programs. Sixth-graders also have the opportunity to try out for the middle school sports teams. Seventh- and eighth-graders automatically make school teams if they choose to participate.
Jefferson Village School Principal Peter Gallace said at the beginning of the soccer season, sixth-graders were given the opportunity to try out for the team, however, due to a miscommunication, not all sixth- graders realized the tryout was occurring. After some back and forth, another tryout was held, which led to some dissatisfaction in the community.
“There was no reference for parents as to why their kid didn’t make the team,” said committee member Forrest Bryant. “There was just a call saying, ‘your kid didn’t make the team’ with no further explanation and no notes from the tryouts.”
In order to get feedback from the community on how the sports teams should be run, Gallace wrote a five-question survey that is now available on the Jefferson Village School website.
One of the questions asks if athletic teams should have tryouts or if everyone should make the team. If everyone were to make the team, the survey then goes on to ask if everyone should receive equal playing time, or if playing time would depend on numerous factors and ultimately be the coach’s decision.
Members of the committee spoke out against the idea that all players should get equal playing time.
“One of the biggest problems with middle school athletics is that there’s so much emphasis on equality, but we’re not teaching these kids that they might get cut from the team down the line,” Chairman Al Vorhis said. “I’m not saying all kids shouldn’t get a chance to play, but the more gifted athletes will play more.”
Maria Solorzano agreed and said the committee needed to resist the philosophy to coddle the kids.
“Middle school is the prep for what’s to come,” Solorzano said. “We really need to look hard at the values we are instilling in our children to prepare them for the real world.”
Josiah Winchenbach, one of the soccer coaches for Jefferson Sports Association who was in attendance at the meeting, suggested that sixth-graders remain in the Jefferson Sports Association and only try out for the middle school team if there were not enough seventh- and eighth-graders to fill the roster.
Gallace said he would leave the survey on the website for two weeks to collect responses and present the findings at the next Jefferson School Committee meeting on Oct. 5.
