Well aware that our schools are facing steep budget cuts, I would like to use the next 400 words to explain why the elimination of freshman athletics from our schools is wrong for our students and wrong for our community.
Learning to fit in
Reflecting on my freshman year of high school, I vividly remember the social awkwardness. The size of the school, not to mention the size of the seniors, was intimidating. Until trying out and making the freshman soccer squad, I felt little connection to my school.
After joining the team, I had an immediate group of friends and a strong sense of school pride. I suddenly loved my high school and had an identity amongst my peers. It did wonders for my confidence, self-esteem and my school work.
Staying in shape
We are all familiar with the epidemic of childhood obesity. Once a teenage becomes obese, the odds are 30-1 against ever getting back into shape. Freshman athletics provides a way for students to improve their physical fitness, develop athletic skills and learn to lead healthy and active lifestyles.
Our schools have already made significant cuts to physical education programs and I see the effects of this every day in my pediatric practice. Cutting freshman athletics will likely discourage many kids from ever trying out for a sport, further promoting a generation of couch potatoes.
After school structure
When students participate in after school programs, such as athletics, they are being instructed by a coach and learning important life skills such as dedication, teamwork and sportsmanship.
Instead of hanging out after school, roaming through neighborhoods and getting into trouble, high school athletics provides an important supervised structure for teenage students, especially those already at-risk.
Our community has so many destructive temptations, that I fear eliminating high school sports will encourage more students to seek camaraderie from gangs instead of their teammates.
A call for teamwork
After school, extracurricular activities such as athletics, music and the arts are vital to developing well-rounded and healthy children. Discontinuing freshman athletic teams would have many negative consequences for our students and our community.
Let’s not allow our high school freshmen, and their athletic programs, to be shoved into a locker and forgotten. I hope that Dons, Chargers and Royals will join this San Marcos alum in advocating for our high school student-athletes.
Dr. Dan Brennan is a board-certified pediatrician and Santa Barbara native who has high hopes that high school athletics will still exist for his two boys. His column can be found in the Daily Sound on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month. Please contact him at 563-6211 or visit www.SBPediatrics.com.