Good article in Ann Arbor.com about education and sports in high school.
http://www.annarbor.com/news/education/a-is-for-algebra-b-is-for-baseba…
I agree for the most part as I have seen kids fall under a certain sport qualifying grade point average and just up and leave school. Some because their parents make them work, they see no point in sending them to school if they can’t play sports. They work what jobs they can legally and illegally just to bring money into the house.
October 7th, 2009 at 5:57 AM ^
but I don't think you can convince enough parents/administrators that its a logical way to run a sports program.
I coach JV football in southwest Michigan and we go by classes failing. If a kid is failing a class one week, he goes on probation and he has to get it up by next week or he loses that game.
While it sucks to lose someone that can help you win, you have to help kids understand that less than .01% of athletes are going to go pro and they have to get an education.
For all the coaches I know, we all believe that football isnt just a sport, but an opportunity to teach kids to be prepared, take responsibility for themselves, and have good attitude/work ethic.
October 7th, 2009 at 6:49 AM ^
but trying to convince the parents who don't think education is important is like trying to knock down a brick wall using a Tonka Truck.
Situations should dictate the actions of the people who choose to suspend the student. If the kid is just not that bright, but tries his butt off and doesn't seem to get the required average let him slide.
On the other-hand if a kid is just going through the motions and doesn't even try, set-up some meetings with the parents and try to correct the problem. If the parents are uncooperative then use your own judgement as what to do going forward.
October 7th, 2009 at 7:39 AM ^
that see that a student is spending the time and effort to improve the grade will do everything they can to help them. As coaches, we let kids that are having trouble in classes stay after school to get schoolwork taken care of before they come out to practice. I still believe it goes school> football.