This petition is to show support for a proposal that would allow freshman boys and girls to play varsity and junior varsity basketball at the high school level starting in the winter of 2009. Those freshman not playing varsity or jv would remain on the junior high campus.
Currently, we are the only program in the Sunflower league that does not allow freshman to advance to the varsity and jv level. I have talked to all the secondary principals and all but two of the athletic directors. No one has given me any reason to believe that in this situation any costs will be added or taken away. No coaching positions will be eliminated or added and the same logistics currently in place can be used.
It gives our student athletes the same opportunities that our competing high schools currently have. Provides the varsity and junior varsity level a larger pool of talent to choose from that competing programs already take advantage of. Freshman athletes who get the opportunity to play at the varsity and junior varsity level will be given a more challenging atmosphere that is given to other athletes in competing areas and in Lawrence with different sports. It will allow the remaining freshman more playing time and the opportunity to play against more level competition.
Please urge the Lawrence Board of Education to provide a level playing field for our athletes. Contact the local adminstartion at your respective schools and voice your concerns. This would be a progressive step forward in providing opportunities to our students that competing schools have already put in place.
