×

Ferry adopt OHSAA athletic standards

T-L Photo/ ROBERT A. DEFRANK Martins Ferry City Schools Superintendent Jim Fogle explains the district’s new policy for athletic eligibility by following the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s standards rather than maintaining a set grade point average.

By ROBERT A. DEFRANK

Times Leader Staff Writer

MARTINS FERRY — Student athletes at Martins Ferry City Schools District will be following the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s standards rather than maintaining a set grade point average if they want to play sports.

On Tuesday’s school board meeting, the board voted to follow OHSAA guidelines for student athletic eligibility and eliminate the current 1.0 grade point average requirement, as well as approving the OHSAA guidelines for the 2021-22 school year and disregarding the fall waiver of requirements.

After the meeting, Fogle consulted the OHSAA guidelines.

“All high school students must be enrolled in and earning passing grades in a minimum of five one-credit courses or the equivalent each and every grading period to have continuing eligibility,” he said.

In answer to a question from board member Chuck Probst, Fogle said the policy will remain in place after the COVID-19 pandemic has passed.

“I’m recommending that we eliminate that 1.0 to eliminate two different sets of standards,” Superintendent Jim Fogle said. “You could have four Ds and a D plus in your academic subject areas, and pass or meet the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s requirement, but you wouldn’t meet the 1.0. You could have…three Bs and two Cs and an F and you’d meet the 1.0, but you wouldn’t meet the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s standards.”

“We’re eliminating GPA totally out of the eligibility,” board member Nick Stankovich said. “So it’s based on how many classes they’re passing.”

During prior meetings, board member Bill Suto has brought up the need to clarify academic standards. In answer to his questions, Fogle said the district would hold to current OHSAA standards even if the OHSAA waives them.

“We’re going to go with the standards of the Ohio High School Athletic Association. However, should (OHSAA) waive theirs, we’re not waiving ours,” Suto said.

“I still think our kids should somehow at least pass their courses in order to play athletics. I just feel that strong,” Suto said.

The standards will match those currently held by the current OHSAA.

“We’re going to still uphold them,” Fogle said. “They already waived for the fall, and I wouldn’t doubt if they waived it for the year.”

Fogle did not speculate how many student athletes might be impacted.

Board member Nick Stankovich also mentioned the fading and discoloration of the school colors of white and yellow are noticeable on the high school and middle school gym floor.

“That floor is atrocious and it’s an embarrassment. It needs to be redone,” Stankovich said.

“Just over time, if you do the normal maintenance, the yearly maintenance where you take off the sealant and re-seal those, over time that builds up on the paint, and it’s altered the color of the paint,” Fogle said afterward. “We’ll have it totally sanded down to the wood, then we’ll just repaint everything and put the finish over-top like they normally do.”

Fogle said the district is seeking estimates for cost, but added the businesses in the school district that have been solicited to donate to other projects.

“The majority of our business donors…they have a five-year contract with us for our scoreboard sponsorship at the football field and also for our press box sponsorships, and for basketball…sponsorship.”

In other matters:

On May 12 the district will hold preschool graduation in the Ayers Elementary Cafeteria. There will be two ceremonies at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Each student will be permitted four guests.

Ayers Elementary will hold its Kindergarten graduation in the high school gym 1 p.m. May 19 at. Each Kindergarten student will be permitted four guests.

The middle school will have eighth grade graduation 7 p.m. May 19 in the high school gym.

High school graduation is scheduled for 2 p.m. May 23 at Purple Rider Stadium. There will be no limit to the number of guests permitted to the ceremony. In the case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be switched to Tolbert Gymnasium. The time will remain the same. With this plan each Graduate would be allotted four tickets.

Masks are required for those in attendance. There will be more information posted on the district website www.mfcsd.k12.oh.us closer to the date of the event.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today