Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to drop Middle School sports at the end of the year: 9,000 student-athletes will be affected(Will GCS be next?)

The call has been made and on a day in which Charlotte has been awarded the 2012 Democratic National Convention, they are also dealing with losing all of the athletic programs in the middle school sysytem, within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools…..

This loss will affect 6,000 student-athletes and another 3,000 athletes that try out and who don’t qualify due to the 2.0 grade point average, which is required to participate in the CMS system….

If it is happening there, it could soon be happening here, in Guilford County, and with all the budget cuts that the state of North Carolina is facing, this might be an area that we see get cut, in Guilford County…..The GCS is still studying their cuts and don’t be surprised to see this be an area that might take on severe hits….Alternative plans should already be on the table, in case the cuts come here…..

Middle School/Junior High ball was one of the best and most fun levels of participation in sports….Some of the best days and games in your career, came on that level…..Loved those days and for some, they might be and soon, will be gone…..

PE teacher/Coach Rickie Clark:

“I’m embarrassed,” the coach says. “I don’t care if you write it. I’m embarrassed. You can’t just give up.”

Clark has been told to catalogue James Martin Middle School’s athletic equipment so the school can sell it at the end of the year…..

Read more and please read all when you CLICK HERE…..

18 thoughts on “Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to drop Middle School sports at the end of the year: 9,000 student-athletes will be affected(Will GCS be next?)

  1. This is beyond words. If you are going to cut sports, then you can/will just as easily cut band, drama plays, student clubs that require staff assistants, etc.. When I was in school it was the sports team(s) that often helped to keep some kids out of trouble but it was absolutely one of the greatest sources of school spirit. This is just beyond words.

  2. This is so CRAZY !!! Like ” Beyond Words ” said about school spirit and being a part of something bigger. I mean, is the school’s budgets that hurt with cuts. These kids no can’t run for 15 minutes without passing out due to hardly no P.E. Classes as it is now. I’m just disappointed, how School Boards are cutting everything from sports to after school educational programs , to teachers. MAN !!!

  3. This is so CRAZY !!! Like ” Beyond Words ” said about school spirit and being a part of something bigger. I mean, is the school’s budgets that hurt with cuts. These kids no can’t run for 15 minutes without passing out due to hardly no P.E. Classes as it is now. I’m just disappointed, how School Boards are cutting everything from sports to after school educational programs , to teachers. MAN !!!

  4. Folks, you have to remember that this is Charlotte and they are a top heavy county. They build these mega schools without concern for the budget. I had clients to tell me that teaching in CMS was/is a nightmare. I guess we need to look out for what Mo will do hre in Guilford County.

    A WARNING TO EVERYONE…IF MIDDLE SCHOOl SPORTS ARE CUT IN THE GCS SYSTEM..AAU WILL TAKE OVER AND HAVE AN AFFECT ON OUR CHILDREDN THAT WILL ULTIMATELY HURT HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS…..A WORD TO HE WISE!

  5. If you were reading about this in some article from some foreign country, then you would clearly say “well they do not value sports, the concept of teamwork or the thrill of competition”. In American we value all of these things and we are not only willing to pay for it but it is what has made us great and separated us for decades if not the past 100 years from everyone else.

    But unfortunately this is not a story from a foreign land or book. It is our neighbors story and likely the story in our future just as it has been for many school systems in the midwestern parts of the USA over the past 5 years. These decisions are eating away at the very core of our soceity. For all of our faults in work and life, our country has always come together on the court or field of play. It has always been the one equalizer in our society. We lift our athletes up like hero’s coming from war but with the clear understanding that its not the same.

    What now ? Where do we go from here ? None of us born here has ever had to experience this situation in life. The entire system has become overrun with cost and policies that were not in the best interest of kids but set to fully protect the weakest among us. This country was largely built on the principle of competition and the survival of the fittest. Sports were never truly built on the basis of allowing the worst player the same access as the best. Yes – if you were poor or disadvantaged, the system would find a way to bring you forward because it need your spirit and competition to support the system. In the end, we tried to carry not only the disadvantaged player but also everyone else that just wanted to be apart of the team up to a specific number within fault or reason. We ultimately brought the entire system down because we got away from what made it great from the beginning. We forgot that it is competition and the ability to rise to the moment when called upon that has made us great. Can NC and America be the greatest of the great again or are we just the next Roman Empire of our day slowly watch our own decay.

  6. I knew this may be coming a few years ago. And like someone said earlier, AAU would be a focal point in a
    Players development. Parents would really have to take a good look at what program you put your child in.
    I really hope this does not happen anytime soon. I coach AAU now, and I want my players to have that
    School spirt time in middle school. I have been with them thru elementary now they are in 6 grade. And
    I will be with thru high school. Just think they need sports in middle school.
    Bestforthekids

  7. If you want middle school basketball or baseball soccer etc.. you better look private. No football or wrestling though. Tons of finacial aid for those that cant afford it. I would be looking GDS, Westchester, Weslyan, HP Christian, Caldwell, Canterbury, Forsythe Burlington Day. Most of these schools have decent facilities and will not be dropping middle school sports.

  8. you are probably right about the private school route, but the bigger issue is the overpaid public sector employees, the out of whack retirement system (why have a retirement system that allows and rewards not getting a college education) that allows retirement with health care @ 48 (18 years old plus 30 years), and then they are the legacy costs that kill the system because people live to be 85 instead of 65? We have the auto industry in government without owning Chrysler and GM. I still do not want us to cut public school sports!!!

    Let the NCHSAA give up some of their take, reduce state tournament participation to reduce costs, and give back to the schools—How much does the NCHSAA have in their account?

  9. This is crazy cutting middle school sports in CMS or any other school system. Someone earlier made the comment about the kids getting in trouble when they don’t have anything to do like playing middle school sports and they are right. Kids need to have that middle school experience in playing sports, that is a part of their life and should be able to experience that. I just hope and pray that they don’t cut the programs in Guilford county schools. I know some ways that the school system in GC could save money and that is to cut some of these principals high salaries back. I know of several elementary school principals that make $90K plus a year, so please tell me why does a elementary school principal have to get paid so much.
    I don’t understand why they want to cut out middle school sports when the school board can find other ways to save money and there are other ways. Again, look at all of these high paying salaries that are being payed out to these elementary principals. They are only as good as their staff makes them and it usually the staff (teachers) that make the principal look good in performiong his or her job. The teachers should be the ones getting payed more rather than the principal. We can only hope that GC does not cut the middle school sports program, because if it happens it will a sad, sad day for a lot of kids and parents as well. I am a parent that has two boys in middle school, one that will be going on to high school next year, but the other one has two more years in middle school. It would not be fair for my youngest son not to be able to experience what his older brother has in playing middle schools sports.

  10. Another plus for Private is getting started in 6th grade if you are good enough and also playing up on HS jv and varsity teams if you are good enough.

    Always heard ALL privates looking for 2 for 1 students – A Minority Student that can Ball. This adds the needed DIVERSITY that all privates are looking for + Help school WIN ball games.

  11. If I worked in Guilford County I would be worried about this big time. Where did Mo Green come from??? That is right Charlotte Meck. Mo has already used several models and policies that Charlotte Mech uses so do not be suprised is this is adopted as well. Now places like ORMA, Bishop McGuiness, Grensboro Day will thrive because they have sports, Rockingham and Randolph county are not even looking at giving up middle school sports so maybe there will be a spill over there. Anyway it might be time to get the heck out of Dodge

  12. I realy think some of you are looking at this all wrong. The ones on here talking about people who can ball and private schools are not looking at what the real value of sports in schools are. Sports not only teach our kids important life lessons such as teamwork, leadership, how to be humble and how to win or lose it is the reason some kids even come to school. I am a coach and one of the strugles I have had as a coach is keeping kids or kicking them off. In my decision making process I always think, “what will he be doing if he isnt here with us”. I know as a coach we can’t be with them all the time but, for those couple hours after school I know where they are and what they are doing and in that time I can do my best to try and help them make the right decisions. Sports play such a huge roll in schools it would and for CMS, will be a travesty. I hope someone will take the time to look and see the troubles they are having now in schools and on the streets of Charlotte compared to what they have next year. What will those that were spending time after school practicing or playing on a sports team doing with their time now.
    As for those saying that private schools are the answer, I have to ask, how is running away from our problems ever going to help. Funny I read this on here today, I just talked to my players about being a problem fixer and not the problem maker this morning.

  13. GCcoach, you make some great points and I am only talking if they ban middle school sports here in GC. If they ban like CMS, and I have kid that like to play sports, I would look at private for MS.

    But I beleive its coming. GCS administators will cut teachers and sports before they cut their own salary. Not enough money to go round for everybody in GCS. Plus, we always have to keep up with Charlotte. HOPE I’m wrong!

  14. SOme of you guys are acting like coming up 3, 6, 8 , 10, 15 K is no big deal. The ripple effect on sports of all kinds at all levels will be huge.

    I wonder if some folks will move? Also, not easy.

  15. Not trying to say coming up with that money is no big deal but there are a lot of things school systems could do different in order to not drop sports entirely. I for one would like to know how much GCS spends on bussing. There are kids at some schools in the county that can see one school from their front porch, get on a bus and ride by another school in order to get to the school they are assigned to. I would be willing to bet that a lot of money could be saved there. I dont want anyone to have to lose their jobs, I am sure if the school board and superintendent look closely and work hard on it they could find the money. I am sure that isnt what will happen. It would be nice if they could show our kids what we preach all the time and that is to deal with problems and work through them and not to just find the easy way out.

  16. I dont beleive you guys in one breath you say kids should not be able to play sports without a certain grade point average how many kids will that effect.
    I say if you beleive that then whats the problem with eliminating middle school sports.
    Maybe we should spend that time with getting them ready for the big picture wich is high school and college.
    I allways thought that the old way of passing three classes with one being a major was fair but NO that was not fair to most of the same people complaining now just think how those kids feel that are now eneligible.
    BOY HOW DO WE MISS SOMETHING ONCE ITS GONE OR ONCE THEY THREATEN TO TAKE IT AWAY.
    MAKE UP YOUR MIND

  17. This has got to be the most uneffective decision I have seen. What are the people in charge thinking?! So how do they support healthy living by cutting out the one thing to keep them healthy?! What about the less fortunate who cannot play in out of school sports? This will only promote more violence, laziness, and probably increase teenage pregnancy. News2 was at the Northern Middle/Aycock game today and they stated they are doing a report on this subject. I really hope it opens the eyes of the tax payers and they attend all school board meetings regarding this subject. They are already wanting to change the start and end time of the schools next year for this “three tiered” bus schedule. This will make the school day longer for most.

  18. my grandson is 13, he is 6′ and weighs 240, we looked forward to him playing basketball, now what will we do??? I got to find somewhere to send him so he can harness his skills and go to college and on to the NBA! He is well behaved and a gentle giant, who is destined to be a famous NBA player.

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