By Alexander El Sawi, Staff Writer
A recent school board meeting has left parents scratching their heads and athletes shocked. Howard County has announced the addition of pickleball to its interscholastic athletics and the subsequent removal of golf.
The decision is deemed “unique” by some and “absurd” by others. “We believe pickleball is the sport of the future,” stated William J. Barnes, the school district superintendent during last week’s press conference, ignoring the fact that most students had never heard of the game before the announcement and the county’s disregard for golf teams.
Pickleball, a cross between tennis, ping pong, and badminton, is often associated with retirees looking for a low-impact activity. Now, it seems it’s the chosen sport for the youth of the future. But what’s the real reason for the change in athletics? Budget cuts because of the long bus rides and underfunding due to low participation in recent years. Pickleball is cheaper than most other sports and is just extra paint on a tennis court, requiring little preparation.
Parents and students both have expressed their confusion and frustration over the decision. “I thought it was a joke when I first heard about it,” said Mr. Smith. The Johnson family said, “If I wanted my son to be playing pickleball, I would send him to work at his grandmother’s retirement home.”
Meanwhile, golfers are left wondering how this will affect their chances of getting into college on an athletic scholarship. “I’ve been training for years to play golf at the collegiate level,” expressed freshman Shivaan Jairath, “[and] now, I’m supposed to throw away the clubs and pick up a paddle.” Many other golfers express the same frustration.
The golfers now express even more rage towards the county after a recent interview with a county board member, Ryan Gosling, surfaced. Gosling, apparently unaware the interview had started, blurted out that “golf is for old and lazy people.” This enraged Shrij Desai saying, “I considering leaving the county because of the unfair and stereotypical treatment of golfers. While I have experienced these stereotypes before never to the point where it is forgotten as a sport.”
However, some students are excited about this new change. Rian Omar and his best friend, Logan Shatzer can’t wait for the pickleball season to start, sharing, “Very few sports are played in duos. I also think pickleball isn’t a demanding sport, which will allow us to focus more on our academics.” This is because pickleball practice will be only for one hour compared to the two hours of practice that is for the other fall sports.
Despite the angered responses from students and parents, the school district remains committed to its support of pickleball. “We believe that introducing students to a variety of sports will help them develop a well-rounded skill set, offering a blend of strategic thinking and teamwork. Qualities valuable on and off the court.” The statement expressed by the superintendent raises questions about the quality of the school’s Physical Education curriculum. Wondering if the point of interscholastic athletics was for students to “develop a well-rounded skill set,” and teamwork then what was the point of the physical education class. Making the reasoning behind interscholastic athletics redundant.