Pioneer High girls ice hockey team deserves recognition as a school sport
July 3rd ‘s Ann Arbor.com contains an unbelievably sad article, reminiscent of old times. The Pioneer girls’ ice hockey team “has been fully funded without a penny from the school district since its inception” eight years ago, says volunteer coach,Lon Grantham, "and team members want nothing more but to be officially recognized as a school sport."
With Pioneer’s $475,000 anticipated in athletic department cuts, they are certainly not asking to become a costly varsity sport for the coming school year; just being recognized as a club sport, defined as "an athletic program sanctioned, but not paid for, by the school district," would be fine for now. But Pioneer, in all this time, still seems to want to keep these valiant young women athletes invisible.
In order to be in compliance with the regulations of the Michigan Metro Girls High School Hockey League, which are the same as those of the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s, Grantham has to keep track of all the players’ eligibility and secure a faculty sponsor, and the club must acquire and pay for school-approved insurance, transportation, equipment, uniforms, officiating, and ice time -- even for varsity letters.
It’s likely that volunteer Grantham has been contributing his services free of charge all these years. He must be quite a guy!
And though the team has fulfilled every one of the qualifications for club sport status, the school has adamantly refused to give the relatively untraditional girls’ team any recognition as a sport. Grosse Pointe North and South, Warren, Port Huron, Livonia, and Farmington, among other high schools, all field ice hockey programs for girls, and Pioneer has brought in the less expensive varsity lacrosse and possibly water polo for girls.
Of course, little is spared for boys in the way of freshman football, varsity football, and ice hockey. I, as one who drove an eager Pioneer student to and from her ice hockey practices several years ago, can only conclude that the Ann Arbor Schools have to reinstate their old in-service programs on sex discrimination!
Marcia J. Federbush
Ann Arbor
Comments
golfer
Wed, Aug 3, 2011 : 4:55 p.m.
come on. does not cost school any money. been around for a few years. let them be a club sport. other schools have girls hockey. you already messed up the rest of the sports give a them what they want. does not cost you a any money so give the kids a break.
Liz Margolis
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 8:17 p.m.
Pioneer Principal Michael White has made a decision to allow the Girl's Hockey Team to become a club sport. They have met all the criteria. A club sport means that participants have all the rights of a varsity level sport but without funding support from the school or district.
DonBee
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 10:11 p.m.
Ms Federbush - The total cut across the 3 high schools and the middle schools is $475,000. This is out of a Sports budget estimated at $12,000,000 a year. There are a number of sports teams that have little or no local competition at the varsity level because no other districts support the sport as a Varsity team. I cannot find, maybe you can, 3 other districts within an hour drive time that support a Varsity Girls Ice Hockey Team. I can find a number of schools the support club teams, and I can find a number of community teams. That means that as a School supported varsity sport, the team will have a limited number of opponents and longer travel times. It seems to me to be an advantage to be a club sport because of the quality of competition available.
Tony Livingston
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 5:57 p.m.
If AAPS wants to attract students to the district, then this program should definitely be supported. There are not many high school programs for female hockey players and I suspect there are people who would like to get their girls into a good school with a good program.
10dz
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 12:58 p.m.
@AVoiceinA2 Her political views have NO bearing on this issue. These cuts stink for all the kids. But the girls hockey team at Pioneer has been self sufficient. Leave it alone.
tim
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 11:49 a.m.
Woman's hockey is now an Olympic sport ---- not really a fringe sport especially if you talk to Canadians. Geesh --let the girls play!
Skeet
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 5:10 a.m.
I don't think it will generate enough interest in this area.
John B.
Fri, Aug 5, 2011 : 10:17 p.m.
Or maybe it will...!
AVoiceinA2
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 2:36 a.m.
Though the author of this article is filed the first Title IX complaint against the University of Michigan charging gross discrimination against women in athletics way back in 1973 and was inducted into the Michigan Woman's Hall of Fame for such action, unfortunately, any opinions she may currently have have been negated by her misplaced anger and weekly protests at Beth Israel Congregation. We cannot and should not give credence to the position of anyone anyone who does not believe in civil discourse and disrespects others the way the author does.
Laurel
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 1:29 p.m.
This is a personal attack that pertains to her personal beliefs and endeavors. Your post here "is negated by" the fact that you have come here to stir up drama and incite "misplaced anger" given your weekly protest via text reply.
a2citizen
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 3:01 a.m.
Her discourse here seems pretty civil to me. Whatever she does at Beth Israel doesn't have anything to do with girls ice hockey.
EyeHeartA2
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 1:42 a.m.
Sorry, that was supposed to be in reply to JCJ, but with no edit button....sigh.
EyeHeartA2
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 1:42 a.m.
When? Not in the 25 years I lived here.
a2citizen
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 7:32 p.m.
Agreed. If a freshman isn't good enough to make the JV football team, then he shouldn't play. Eliminate freshman football teams and you will have ample funding for girls athletics.
tim
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 3:57 a.m.
Wouldn't cost the school a dime regardless if they drop freshman football. Club sports are payed for by the boosters and parents.
a2citizen
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 2:28 a.m.
If a 9th grader does not have the talent to make even the JV team then I doubt that his strong suit is, or ever will be, football. Maybe he should spend his time hitting the books.
jcj
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 1:27 a.m.
"Without freshman teams, how can the school develop players for JV and Varsity?" They did it for years without freshman teams!
asymptote
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 11:39 p.m.
Without freshman teams, how can the school develop players for JV and Varsity?