Sixth Period Athletics Officially Ending After This Year
Photo Credit: Alyonna Mahe Partosa
Juniors Quinn Skillin, Malik Vidarsson, Will Trammel, and Kyle Leblanc (L to R) participate in sixth period track practice.
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Emily McIntyre, Staff Writer
March 8, 2013
Filed under News
At the first PTSA meeting of 2013, Principal Jeff Olivero addressed determining factors as to why UC High must get rid of sixth period athletics next year. He also presented a plan for administering the new policy of holding sports team practices after school instead of during period six in order to accommodate students’ schedules and the lack of qualified coaches.
According to Olivero, there is not enough funding to hire credentialed, qualified coaches who can legally coach students during the school day. Also, freeing up a period in athletes’ schedules would allow students to take an extra course or elective. If students are not interested in taking the extra class, study hall classes could be created during sixth period with sixty students in a classroom getting their homework done.
“I wouldn’t mind having athletics after school, because I need the extra period to take more advanced classes, especially in the upcoming years,” said Freshman Mikaela Magpali.
“It is more helpful to have sixth period athletics than to not. There are too many issues to have [sports] after school [rather] than to keep it the way it is now,” said Sophomore Howard Deward.
Olivero believes that if UC High raised money and received donations from the community to bolster teacher coaches’ pay, coaches would have a reason to stay and cooperate better with the school to make after-school athletics work. Most coaches aren’t in favor of moving athletics to after school, especially those who also teach, because they would have a longer work day without more stipend (extra pay).
Athletics at school are free for student participation, and the school might be able to get parents to donate money for coaches and programs. “The most expensive sports program, the aquatics program, raises most of its own money, for example, through the aquatics foundation,” Olivero explained.
According to Freshman Tara Boyer, “Sixth period athletics should stay…. Ninth and tenth grade students [would] still need to complete their requirements for physical education by taking a period of PE during the school day. This, and if they wish, also doing athletics after school seems ridiculous.” Students would not be graded in their given sport, but just in their physical education classes.
Sophomore Jhonathan Bituin added, “Having athletics after school isn’t fair to the students, because we will have to stay late after school and not have enough time to do everything else in the day. The cons definitely outweigh the pros regarding after school athletics, and it’s difficult for me because I live far from UC.”
Some coaches and students may not like the idea, but many teachers do, especially those who teach electives. Art Teacher Judy Woodruff said, “It is a good idea to have athletics after school, because it gives kids more options and chances to take more electives during the day.”
At the PTSA meeting, the discussion included noting that this proposition was addressed last year, and few schools in the San Diego Unified School District still have sixth period athletics. Olivero also brought up that sixth period athletics affect class size regulations and that there are more standards and regulations for physical education now than there used to be. He revealed that district and state requirements are not being met in sixth period athletics as the program is run currently.
“The school still needs to determine if it would be a necessity to have the late buses arrive later, but we will still try to provide all students with access to sports, although they are extracurricular activities. The kinks are still being worked out but [the change] is happening next year for sure,” said Vice Principal Kathy Lordon.
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