A proposed change to Riverhead Central School District policy that would generally ban 7th graders from playing varsity sports will be reconsidered by the board of education after it sparked controversy among district parents.
A proposed revision to district policy 5280 had its second public reading at the Dec. 9 board meeting and is ready to be adopted but “more discussion needs to take place” before the board acts, Schools Superintendent Nancy Carney told RiverheadLOCAL.
“Many parents have opinions about it,” Carney said. The proposed revision “will be discussed at the next Board of Education meeting on Jan. 13.”
Parents of some middle school athletes objected to the change.
The “blanket prohibition” against 7th graders playing at the varsity level “is not only a disservice to the child but is also a disservice to the Riverhead sports program,” Ann Marie Goodale of Aquebogue said in a Dec. 11 letter to the board.
A “blanket, grade level based standard … does not honor a student athlete’s special needs or readiness,” Dawn Thomas of Jamesport wrote in a letter to the board also dated Dec. 11.
Both women have daughters in 7th grade who have played lacrosse together on a travel team for several years. They’d like to see the district continue to allow children like theirs to try out for varsity teams if they meet athletic performance standards pursuant to State Education Department adopted policy. Goodale’s stepson also participated as a 7th grader on the varsity wrestling team.
Other parents are in favor of the proposed change. Barbara Weir, a founder of Riverhead Athletics Inc., which was formed to promote the lacrosse program, says “less than exceptional” high school players will miss important opportunities if exceptional middel school athletes get play time in their place.
“Younger players WILL get their chance when they get there,” Weir wrote to the board of education in an undated letter read aloud at a recent board meeting. “Is it really fair if a middle school athlete gets to play for five-six years while the high school athletes do not have the luxury of time?”
“Can we still be competitive, recognized and respected with our high school players who may not be exceptional but still competitive? Can we still provide opportunities for these girls by giving them the room to grow, strengthen their confidence and fine-tune their skills in their high school years if their play time is reduced due to middle school players taking their space?” Weir asked.
Under the proposed revision, exceptional 7th graders will be considered for play at the JV level if requested by a coach or physical education teacher. Under the current policy, a parent can also make the request. In order to be considered for JV participation under the proposed revised policy, however, the 7th grader must meet varsity-level classification standards. These changed make it more difficult for 7th graders to be considered for JV teams as well, critics charge.
“It is my understanding that the new policy was created to memorialize the existing procedures that have been in place over the years,” Carney said.
Both Goodale and Thomas also criticized the board’s adherence to policy development requirements, as set forth in a separate board policy and both asked that the board take additional time to consider the change and get more feedback and input from the public.
Top photo caption: Riverhead girls lacrosse team went undefeated to win 6. /7 grade division in a tournament at Hecksher State Park in May. (Courtesy photo)
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