City and Private Middle School Athletes
Are they playing on different turfs?
December 7, 2017
Have you ever wondered why C.H.S. seems to consistently excel in certain sports while others haven’t been able to excel at the same level? The answer may lie in the preparation of athletes prior to coming to Charlottesville High School. Access to sports teams at the middle school level is best way to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to experience all the positives that sports can bring, not only one the individual student’s level, but for the school community as a whole.
While there are sports programs at Buford Middle school, such as, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, fencing (club sport), football, softball, step, swimming, tennis (club sport), track, wrestling, and volleyball, there are certain disparities between what’s offered in middle school and the sports that become important in high school, like lacrosse, Field Hockey, Golf and Soccer. While there are sports opportunities that have thus far served in place of school-sponsored sports at the recreational, challenge, and travel levels within the Charlottesville community, through private programs such as S.O.C.A. or M.O.N.U., these programs aren’t necessarily accessible to all families for a myriad of reasons, such as financial and travel capabilities,the ability of parents to commit time to being involved in their children’s sport endeavors, or even the connections necessary to join a recreational club that is sponsored by another school in the area.
The most important issue at hand is access, because without access there can be no level playing field for all students. — Emma Macnabb
“ I found it quite difficult to get involved in field hockey — Lily Kate Sweeny
In addition to not releasing their potential for athletic endeavors, students who wish to play beyond the highschool level, have limited exposure to organizations that can help them be recruited by Universities and Colleges. The athletes who get “discovered” by these institutions of higher learning are athletes who have had access to formative athletic development such as travel teams, sports teams at the middle school level and below. Without these essential methods for athletic growth, fewer dreams of playing beyond the highschool level, can turn into reality.