Posted by:
ThinkingOutLoud
(
)
Date: October 30, 2014 02:38PM
I keep hearing about this happening here, and wonder why districts haven't implemented a points-based activity or participation system to avoid it?
Show up, get points, everyone gets the same points as anyone else. Just show up. If you can't dress or even play, no problem; just show up and you get the points. Choose not to show up to any scheduled date for the team, you lose the points for that date.
If at the end of the year you did not earn enough points, you do not get to play in that same or lead position, next year. You can still make the team at tryouts, you just don't get the usual or desired spot, all things being equal. If you have fewer points than the other guy trying to take it away from you and your play is equal to his, too bad. You lose.
Goes for band, chorus, football, swimming, whatever. The season is as scheduled and all dates are provided to you at the start. You and your parents sign a statement that says if you choose for any reason not to attend any meet or any other activity scheduled for the team, you lose that day's points. And meets and practices and games are all over the map, not always on the same day for each and every week.
So, Jewish kids or JWs could choose to miss on a Friday or Saturday, and some Christians could choose to do so on a Wednesday or a Sunday. Or choose only to miss if the Sunday in question is, say, Easter or other big holiday--but show up on all other Sundays, if they wish.
Their choice, all the way around. Points for showing up accrue or get lost, however they or their parents decide.
This system might help reduce misses when mom and dad pull one kid from an important event to go attend another kid's equal or lesser event, too. Or, can help the kid whose parents favor the star kid in an individual sport in their family, over another one who may not be as great, but whose effort or position is integral to the success of a team.
It might not change anything. Might not work. Just an idea.