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Southwick-Tolland Regional School District decision to allow grades 7 & 8 to participate on High School JV and Varsity teams has eliminated the Jr High suburban girls basketball and soccer teams. Sadly girls attending Southwick / Tolland Reg High have only two teams to play on JV or Varsity for all 6 grades. Southwick has always offered 4 teams -grade 7 ,grade 8 along with JV and varsity allowing over 40 girls to participate in basketball. Now with only two teams only 20-22 girls played basketball last year and most likely again this year. This problem does not effect the boys program as Junior High boys are usually not physically ready to contest for spots on the JV or Varsity teams. Girls mature and reach their athletic prime at an earlier age then boys. Example would be gymnast who dominate the Olympics are usually 13-14 years of age. This loss of opportunity was brought to the attention of the Southwick High Principal and Athletic director, who suggested ending Jr High Suburban teams after 6th grade, allowing the rest to compete for the 20-22 high school spots. It is common knowledge that students participating in athletics do better academically, so we should be offering more opportunity to play high school sports and not eliminating opportunity like they suggested. Jr High students have teams to play on at the suburban level ,against better competition then they will face at the JV level. It doesn’t make any since having them play up and taking away opportunity for upper class girls. So many upper class girls didn’t even try out last year out of fear of being cut in favor of a Jr High student. This is very sad and I have heard from so many parents who had daughters quit playing the sports they love because of the over crowding situation we have with 6 grades trying out for only two teams. This fall girls soccer faces the same problem and I have already heard from many parents who have Junior or Senior daughters trying out . Many have stated their daughters will not try out at all or switch to cross country rather then have their daughters get cut in favor of some 7 & 8 grade girl who might have potential. Most schools in the commonwealth don’t allow Jr High students to play high school sports. Southwick needs to go back to what is best for the majority of the student body and not allow Jr High kids to play High school sports. This will bring back the Jr High teams in basketball and soccer and provide double the opportunity to play athletics in Southwick.
At the risk of becoming a grouchy old senior citizen I must voice my opinion about being a responsible pet owner. Our beautiful Stanley Park provides pet waste stations and bags for cleanup. This week while walking my dog I have seen at least four droppings within 15 yards of those stations. I do not understand how you cannot look around and see the beauty of that park without realizing the care that is taken to make it what it is for all to enjoy. This seems to be much worse this season. Please if you see anyone not cleaning up report it to one of the workers there. I do not want to have them say no more dogs at the park.
Re: plastic bags Years ago when you went to the grocery store you got paper bags. Then the politicians decided they weren’t good for the environment we must use plastic. Now once again they want to change things. They have no clue. They just follow the trend. And we pay them for this nonsense?????
