Advocating for freshman athletics

By DR. DAN BRENNAN — April 17, 2009

I have very fond memories of my student-athlete days at San Marcos High School. I think back to my great teammates, coaches and the thrill of competing for my school. As a former four-year, two sport athlete, I am saddened to see that the Santa Barbara School Board is considering the elimination of freshman athletics at each of our local high schools.

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.

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Could not agree more : 4/17/2009

These budget cuts are so tough--classroom sizes raised to 25 in the lower grades, lay offs, etc. That said, letting go of freshman athletics is SUCH a bad idea for all of the reasons Dr. Brennan sites. I so hope this doesn't happen. That said, if "formal" traveling athletic teams for Freshman do go, an athletic alternative needs to emerge for this group--coached intramural teams that practice after school and play locally on weekends, on campus after school yoga and aerobics classes, supervised access to weight training facilities, non-competitive walking and jogging groups, etc. When the funding falls short, it's time to motivate your volunteers and get creative.

Nancy Mixon, parent

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Eliminating High School Freshman Athletics : 4/17/2009

I could not agree more with Dr. Dan in this potential move that essentially undermines the physical and psychological health of incoming high school freshman. This is a divisive endeavor that isolates freshman and channels them away from athletics into other potentially unhealthy activities. There must be a way to carve out budget savings other than removing the freshman athletic plan. We cannot leave these kids in a vacuum. At the very least perhaps we can develop alternatives such as training teams to prepare freshman for the following years. To those involved, please reconsider.

Christina Schmidt, childhood nutrition author

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Unacceptable : 4/17/2009

For all of the reasons stated above, plus many, many more...it is not a good idea to cut freshman athletics in our local high schools. I absolutely agree with the standpoint that such a drastic measure would have an impact on our students, faculty and community. Nearly all of us can reflect upon our youth and find many wonderful memories directly related to sports activities. Whether in the stands, on the sidelines, in the band, or on the field...we have all participated. It would be so foolish to eliminate it. What is the alternative? The best thing about high school sports for me personally was the fact that I learned how to budget my time effectively. As a freshman, I was involved in student government, a church group and sports. Budgeting time around that was such a great learning tool. SB School Board...PLEASE...listen to the community before making such a monumental change!!!

Yes to Athletics!!!

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