ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, September 30, 1996 TAG: 9609300112
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
NOTE: Below
A survey two years ago indicated that a majority of parents who have children in Roanoke's middle schools support the athletic programs and their noncompetitive philosophy, Superintendent Wayne Harris said.
"We got a favorable response to what we're doing now," said Harris. He added that most parents favor sports competition, but believe that students should have an equal chance to participate, and teams should not be limited to those with athletic skills and talent.
Seventy-two percent of parents who responded to the survey think that any middle school student who wishes to be on a team should be allowed to do so, he said. The parents also believe that all team members should get equal playing time, he said.
Survey forms were sent home by middle school students to all parents. Twenty-nine percent of parents returned the survey.
Roanoke's middle school program emphasizes participation, rather than winning at all costs. Team tryouts are held in some sports at some schools, but all who want to play can become members of other teams.
The schools compete against each other in baseball, basketball, soccer, girls softball, volleyball, tennis and track, but they do not have games with schools outside the city.
"What we have is competitive sports. It is not intramurals as some people say," Harris said.
Because of the recent requests for a full-scale athletic program including football in middle schools, Harris said he will try to determine whether opinion has changed since the 1994 survey.
He has asked his staff to make a thorough study of the issue and to confer with the schools, coaches, students and parents. He also will seek the views of Jeff Artis, who is heading a petition drive for football and a more competitive program, and others who have made similar requests.
"We're going to look into this deeply, and based on what we find, I'll decide whether we should go beyond what we're offering," Harris said.
To help encourage participation in sports and other extracurricular activities at middle schools, Roanoke will begin operating an after-school activity bus at Addison and Madison middle schools to provide transportation home for students who play on sports teams or have other reasons to stay after school.
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