ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 15, 1997 TAG: 9701150039
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
By next fall, seventh- and eighth-graders in Roanoke may be running for touchdowns and playing tight pass defense.
Superintendent Wayne Harris, who has opposed football in middle schools in the past, has proposed a pilot program if there is enough interest among students and parents to field teams.
The city would have two teams for seventh-and eighth-graders that would be part of the Patrick Henry and William Fleming high school athletic programs.
The teams would practice at the high schools. Seventh-and eighth-graders would be bused from the middle schools to Patrick Henry and William Fleming.
Students from all five middle schools could participate. They would play for the team at the high school they would attend when they reach ninth grade.
Harris said his proposal would provide an opportunity for seventh-and eighth-graders to play football without having teams based at middle schools. He said it wouldn't conflict with the schools' athletic philosophy for youngsters at this age, which emphasizes broad participation and enjoyment ahead of intense competition.
Jeff Artis, an unsuccessful candidate for City Council and the House of Delegates, and several others have urged the superintendent and School Board to upgrade the middle school athletic program.
They contend that a full-scale sports program, including football, would reduce the dropout rate, help keep students off drugs and reduce teen pregnancy.
Eighth-graders can now play on freshman football teams at Patrick Henry and William Fleming, but Artis said they are reluctant to do so because they perceive the ninth-graders to be older, stronger and better players.
School officials have completed a four-month study of the middle school athletic program, including the football issue. They surveyed students, parents, principals, coaches, nearby school divisions and others.
Harris' report, which was presented to the School Board Tuesday night, calls for the continuation of the current middle school program with the addition of the pilot football teams.
The board authorized school officials to survey parents of seventh-and eighth-graders to determine their commitment and support for their children's participation in football. School officials will also see if there are enough students to field teams.
Some board members said they thought school officials should develop a plan for preventing further deficits in the high school athletic funds before starting the pilot middle school teams, but a majority of the board voted to authorize Harris to make the surveys and contact city officials about funding for the teams.
The research for the study was done by Janice Barclay, an intern in Harvard University's Urban Superintendent Program, and Howard Light, director of athletics, health and physical education for city schools.
Barclay said the pilot program is based on the presumption that each team would have about 40 players. She said an earlier survey showed that 332 boys and nearly 160 girls in the seventh and eighth grades would like to have middle school football.
Light said the Roanoke teams could compete against schools in Salem, Botetourt County and Pulaski County. He said school officials have contacted those school divisions and they are willing to schedule games with Roanoke teams.
Roanoke County's middle school teams compete in a league and already have a full schedule, Light said.
Harris said the schools will ask the city's Parks and Recreation Department to finance the teams.
Barclay said a pilot program would cost $40,000 the first year for uniforms and equipment, coaching salaries, transportation and officials for a six-game schedule.
In addition to proposing the pilot program for seventh-and eighth-graders, Harris has recommended that the schools improve the transportation to the high schools for eighth-graders who want to play on the freshman teams.
The middle and high schools also need to improve communication between coaches, staff, parents and students, he said. The study disclosed poor communication between high school and middle school coaches about the opportunity for eighth-graders to play on the freshmen teams, he said.
Roanoke eliminated football for the middle grades and revised its athletic program when it switched from the junior high school alignment - grades seven, eight and nine - to the middle school concept - grades six, seven and eight.
The competitive sports program, which had flourished in the junior high schools, was de-emphasized in favor of an inclusive middle school concept.
The city's middle schools compete against each other in soccer, basketball, baseball and four other sports, but they do not compete against schools outside the city.
Two of the five middle school principals voiced support for football, but the others had mixed opinions, according to Harris' report.
Most of the Parent-Teacher Associations at city schools and some parents said they didn't favor football.
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