OPINION: Sports should be evenly spread throughout the first and second semesters
Spring semester brings in a jam-packed second half of the year for students participating in the multiple events occuring at SCHS. There are several different sports available during the spring alongside the yearly Battle of the Classes (BOTC) and the Black and Blue Olympics (BBO). The semester also nears AP testing, a critical time for students taking these exams.
When compared to the spring semester, the first half of the year has few central sports and time-consuming events. The only really large event during this time is Homecoming. Though it does take dedication and time, it does not compare to the many other activities during the spring semester. The imbalance of sport activities causes a busy schedule for students during the second half of the year.
Spring sports alone make up 10 out of the 22 offered sports at SCHS. In addition, championship tournaments for those sports often overlap with AP Testing. Student athletes have to decisively manage their time between studying for their exams, going to practice and attending their tournaments.
The variety of spring sports have teams competing for gym times. Sports such as boy’s volleyball are staying at school as late as 9:00 p.m. to practice. The badminton team juggles between the two gyms for practice as other teams claim the location for their use.
BOTC and BBO are two other school events during the spring that bring students closer together through competitive spirit. The events take major time commitment outside of school as preparations for competitions are necessary. SCHS students participating in both spring sports and events have little time to spare or spend on practice for both extracurriculars, leaving almost no time for homework.
Sports are a significant time commitment that, along with school, can take up a large portion of participants’ free time. The packed spring semester does nothing but add onto other commitments. By evening the amount of sports and season length per semester, students would have more spare time for their own needs and interests.
