Athletics In Our Schools

[Michelle Andreoli]

I am the CSAC chair of a JK-8 catholic school in North York, last spring questions and concerns started arrising fro parents about athletics, more specifically the way try-outs were happening, some were about how older kids get cut from a team for a younger kid that is better. At our school there are mainly two teachers who coach the majority of sports (by their choice) there are a few others who coach a few sports, as well as a few parents. The parents would like to see some changes and more clear guidelines on what teams are for what ages, when try-outs are, when practices are. I have done some research on the TCSAA website reading the constitution, I have also spoken to the director of Health and PE at the TCDSB. Her advice to me was that all schools should come up with their own athletics philosophy, when I put this on the agenda for our CSAC meeting the teachers became very angry and defensive and told us that we have no right or jurisdiction over athletics end of discussion. Anyone have any experience or advice in this area???

[Gay Stephenson]

Happy December to you too Michelle! Thank you so much for writing back to tell us how everything is working out. We're all so happy for you. Kudos to you for finding ways, creating the paths for such a positive interchange with your principal and school.

We do hope that others with receive help by reading about this. That's our dream for these forum discussions ~ that we can support one another and find positive resolutions to the challenges we face.