Most schools have rules regarding grades and their impact on playing time for a student-athlete. Whether it’s a set grade percentage or letter, there should be a grade standard for student-athletes across all sports.

A student-athlete is a student first then an athlete. Good grades should take higher priority then a team’s performance.

Whether it be the regular season, district, or state games, athletes have participated with failing grades because they are good enough to help the team succeed. Allowing them to play and contribute to the team’s success while they are not successful in the classroom goes against Elkhorn North’s established standard.

Baseball is one of the most disciplined sports in terms of grades and a good example of when athletes are aware of the standards, these motivate them to keep up their grades in the classroom. 

“There should be a policy on if you are failing a class, you should not be able to play,” Head baseball coach and history teacher Anthony Dunn said. “I check every two weeks, and if a kid is failing, he is benched until he gets that grade up.”

Dunn’s strictness on the grading policy does not seem to be consistent among all teams. These rules exist but it is the coach’s and school’s responsibility to enforce them. 

Baseball players know they have to maintain their grades to play during the season. If a star athlete does not have passing grades, their playing time is affected. The rules should be consistent from team to team. 

If a high school athlete does not perform well in the classroom, they will have a more difficult time in college. Colleges apply rules and if students don’t have to follow them in high school, they will have a rude awakening in college.

Grades are also important because they ensure that students devote equal time to their education and sports. Both help develop skills for a student’s future. Not every high school athlete will go professional, so having good academics during high school helps prepare them for life after sports. 

As a school with outstanding athletic ability, student-athletes need to balance and uphold academic and athletic standards. Having these rules upheld makes the students prioritize their education alongside their athletics. Ultimately, coaches will have to be the ones to keep students to this commitment as they determine their playing time.