School Board OKs New Student-Athlete Policy

In response to speculation that coaches have been actively deterring students from playing more than one sport, the district's has instituted a policy which sets limits on a coach's influence over his or her athletes. 

Speculation has grown during the school year as students and parents have claimed that athletes who want to play more than one sport in a given season or school year were discouraged and threatened to be either benched or cut by coaches. 

The reasoning behind this suspected conduct is that Lakewood's sports programs have become increasingly competitive and demanding as students will now practice and train for a major sport throughout an entire year, and if too many students started playing too many sports, then it would theoretically diminish the overall strength of any one given program.  

During a regular board of education meeting last month,  claimed there was no evidence to back up these suspicions that were publicly broached by board president Matt Markling.

In the May 16 meeting, Thayer said, “Let me say this, high school sports in general and it’s just not in Lakewood – the demands on the student athlete are becoming greater and greater and greater. Every sport is becoming year-round…football, baseball, basketball, everyone…Now, coaches want to win and they want to compete so, yes, they want kids to participate fully in those programs. 

“Now, that is different from saying, ‘We do not want you to play baseball because we want you in spring workouts for basketball…’ Quite frankly, I have not come across any scenarios where it’s been proven that a coach has said to an athlete, ‘We don’t want you to do this, we don’t want you to do that.’ 

In light of Thayer’s assertions, Superintendent Joe Madak submitted a resolution that was approved by the board during Monday night’s regular meeting at . 

“The resolution, I think, speaks for itself when you read it,” Markling said. “I think what it’s not doing is it isn’t taking away from the coaches ability to determine who’s best qualified for the team.

"It has always been, always will be within the discretion of the coach. It’s just making it clear for parents and for students that they do have the right and the opportunity – if they’re qualified – to participate in multiple sports.”

 The new policy, prepared by Madak, is a reflection of what the board believes and practices regarding interscholastic sports, he said. 

It states that:

• No coach or advisor shall require off-season activities programs or requirements, which interfere with or limit the ability of any student from participating in any interscholastic sport in a different sports season.
  
  
• In sports where students are cut, the students who are best able to play the sport shall be retained.  The participation or non-participation of a student in any off-season program, activity or requirement shall not be a factor in the decision   to cut a student from the team in any way, shape or form.
  
  
• The decision for a student to participate in more than one interscholastic sport in different seasons rests entirely with the student and parent insofar as the decision complies with the rules and regulations of the Ohio High School Athletic Association and the academic eligibility and other policies and regulations of the Lakewood City Board of Education and the Lakewood City School District.