One of the school budget-trimming proposals out there will eliminate the current junior high athletics as they are today, and replace them with intramural-style sports. After reading a letter sent out to parents of Nashua junior high students (provided to me by a friend), I wondered who is behind this shift - or shaft as many parents call it. See today’s story in The Telegraph for a report by sports writer Gary Fitz.

So here’s the positives I see in eliminating “competitive sports” at the junior high level.

1) Saves the school district money, but only the difference between what they spent on competitive sports, and the costs of the new program ($37,000).

2) Gives more students a chance to be involved in some type of sports activity after school.

That’s all the positives I could find. Here’s the negatives.

1) High School sports teams will suffer in quality, beginning with the first class to enter high school, who had no “competitive” feeder program for that sport. Yes, it is true that many of the top athletes compete in AAU or similar leagues, where they will accel in their sport. But, the rest of the players on their high school teams, who will have been playing sports against less competitive players from the “recreational-style” intramural games, will not be playing at the same level as those involved in AAU sports. Thus, the high school teams suffer overall.

2) Recreational-style sports are just that, recreational. “It is was it is,” as a friend of mine says. They are designed to bring a wide array of kids to the games. Some will be outstanding players, and others will have no clue what they are doing on the court or out in the field. It’s the latter that will slow down the the other players. Stiff competition is what generates better ball players.

I’m not against the new proposed intramural program. It keeps kids off the streets after school, just like the Boys and Girls Clubs. It gives those who aren’t playing sports at the higher levels, a chance to keep fit, and develop at their own pace. But it’s not a substitution for competitive sports leagues, like Tri-County Athletics.

My son Brandon played in the tri-county league through eighth grade. He also played on a recreational basketball league in auburn, Little League, Youngsville, and has been a NH Grizzlies baseball player for the past three years. The Grizzlies coaches have made a huge impact on his game. Little League and Youngsville also helped him develop in his younger years.

The recreational basketball league he played in gave him a chance to play with his friends. But, it didn’t improve his game. It was his junior high coaches in Auburn (Tri-County League), and the competition of playing against good teams from the area, that developed him into a competitive basketball player. Without that level of play in the past two years, Brandon would have never made it on Manchester Memorial’s freshmen and JV basketball teams this year. Junior high sports are meant to be feeder programs for the high schools.

Years ago the Purple Panthers of Nashua High dominated in so many sports. Then the split came, and there were two Nashua high schools - North and South. The powerhouse in Class L sports was gone. They still dominate in some of the sports, but nothing like the past. Will athletics at both Nashua high school soften even more without competitive feeder programs?

-Bob Hammerstrom

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