SOUTHWICK – Students in grades seven and eight at Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional (STGR) High and Middle School have at least another year to participate in high school sports.
School Principal Joseph Turmel told the School Committee that at the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) annual meeting, a new rule to keep middle school students from participating at the high school level in combined middle/high schools was approved in districts across the state, with the exception of District F, which includes STGR schools.
“It was common practice in 7-12 schools run by one principal that all students are eligible to play varsity and junior varsity,” said Superintendent John Barry. “Next year, seventh and eighth grade students are eligible to participate in high school sports, but beyond that we have some work to do.”
Turmel said the rule was proposed by someone in the eastern part of the state because “schools that allow seventh and eighth grades to play have an advantage.”
“Moving forward, this is something we need to advocate for,” Turmel said.
Turmel noted that the athletic budget this year can accommodate equipment for middle school athletes as well as high school athletes.
“We built a budget in the athletic program assuming that the expansion or addition of programs was coming,” Turmel said.
