Re:

[ricb]

It seems to me that many of the comments on this subject are misguided at best. The bulk of the folks act like if there weren't sports in the schools the students would be learning more and testing better than they are currently. The opposite is actually true according to studies done. Sports also help keep kids out of trouble and reduce teen pregnancy for those who participate. It is something for small communities to rally around and to lend pride, if only temporarily to depressed towns. It's to bad that many of the complainers had such a bad experience in school 20,30 even 50 years ago. Many act like they had better things to do than be at school anyway. High school athletics in most cases does not lead to a career in that sport, but will lead to an understanding of what team work is about. this is a lesson any of us that works with or around another person can benefit from