CCPS Reduces Opportunities for Student Athletes

With good intentions, Carroll County Public Schools have declared that students may now participate in two sports in a single season.  They sent this email to parents recently:

Carroll County Public Schools will be moving forward with the opportunity for Dual Participation for their student-athletes beginning in the fall of 2014. It is essential for all stakeholders to be informed of the following protocols, procedures and information:

Student-athletes wishing to participate in two extra-curricular sports activities in the same season will need to obtain a request form from their athletic director.

Head coaches of both sports must agree to the student-athlete's dual participation. 

The student-athlete must designate both a primary sport and a secondary sport before the beginning of the first allowed practice as determined by the MPSSAA.

A primary sport will take precedence over a secondary sport when there is a conflict of schedule or other matter that could lead to a conflict - 2 exceptions:

If the secondary sport has a contest and the primary sport has practice, the contest will take precedence.

In the event of a contest conflict, if the primary sport is at the sub-varsity level and the secondary sport is at the varsity level, the varsity contest will take precedence over sub-varsity contests

The secondary sport must be at the varsity level.

The student-athlete must practice in both sports. The amount of practice time must meet the agreed upon requirements of the head coaches of those sports involved.

Practice time restrictions will be adhered to during heat acclimatization days per MPSSAA guidelines

The student-athlete and parents/legal guardians must sign an application of dual-sport participation before the first practice session the athlete attends.

Prior to the first scheduled contest for either sport, the student-athlete, parents/legal guardians, head coaches of both sports, athletic director and principal must sign the contract of dual-sport participation.

The high school athletic director and high school principal will serve in the capacity of advisors and final judgments on matters concerning dual-sport participation.

The athletic fee for a dual-sport participant shall be $140.

Often decisions are made that have unintended consequences.  With some students filling spots on multiple sports teams, other less talented student athletes will be cut and not given the opportunity to participate in sports.  Many students, like myself, lacked athletic prowess, either by size, in my case, or in talent, but still want to participate in extra-curricular activities.  I now get the feeling that the school system wants those less talented students to go pound sand.  There's always the photography club at Liberty High School that NEVER met during the entire year, right?

What are your thoughts on this decision?