The October 1 pulseline hit it all on the head. It’s time to get rid of the good ole boys and TAKE OUR CITY BACK. I see only 4 current council members who work for the people the rest should be replaced. It’s time to VOTE in new people.
Southwick Schools decision allowing 7th & 8th grade students to participate in High School sports is destroying Junior High programs and eliminating opportunities to play soccer & basketball. This fall 6 Junior High girls made High School soccer teams, which left the Junior High teams with only 11 players, to few to field a team. So the 11 girls have no place to play soccer this fall, plus 6 upper class girls in high school were cut to make room for these 6 Junior High kids. All toll 17 girls were eliminated from playing soccer in Southwick this fall. The Athletic director and school committee were all notified and could care less about the welfare of these girls and the junior high programs. Last week the Junior High girls basketball suburban teams were eliminated for the same reasons ,5 of the better players were trying out for the High school teams so there won’t be enough girls to form a team. The MAIA ruled against allowing 7th and 8th grade girls playing High School sports and will allow it only if schools can show a hardship situation i.e. not enough girls to form a team, this is clearly not the case here in Southwick. It has long been proved that students do better academically when they participate in school sports. Why would our athletic director and school committee be promoting junior high kids playing up, when they know the end result is the elimination of girls soccer and basketball at the junior high level and fewer spots for upper classmen? This year I saw many upper class girls go home crying after being cut to make room for a 7th or 8th grade student . This makes no since these junior high kids had a place to improve their skills, where the High school students who were cut- don’t have a place to play. It is hard enough keeping girls involved in sports in high school ,we don’t need our athletic director and school committee taking away opportunities for average skilled players ,just for a few more wins at the JV level.
