MOOSE JAW - A Catholic school trustee is concerned that some students are not receiving the same opportunities to compete in athletics as others because of finances and wants something done to address the disparity.
During Holy Trinity Catholic School Division’s September board meeting, Allison Bradish suggested that the division should lobby the Saskatchewan High School Athletics Association (SHSAA) and the Saskatchewan Catholic School Boards Association (SCSBA) to address the issue of social justice province wide.
“I think we’re seeing a dual system happening here with our athletes (with) those who can pay money and those who cannot,” she said.
Bradish feared that this inequality was affecting high school sports and failing to give all students the opportunity to participate, regardless of whether their parents could pay for them to join club teams. She pointed out that fewer students would likely suffer from mental illness if they could play.
The trustee thought high schools were doing a fantastic job of putting forward the most competitive teams possible, while she knew that elementary schools offered various ways for youths to participate.
“And I know that there are other clubs, but I think that when we talk about social justice and the dignity of the human person … we are body, mind and soul,” Bradish said.
“And what can we be offering? Is there a way to be more transparent with parents about costs? Or is this something we should be advocating with our MLAs? Do they understand?” she continued. “… Is there an investment that could be made here that could be beneficial to our communities?”
The SCSBA and the SHSAA are organizations with different objectives, with the latter agency mandating that junior teams in high school focus on development and senior teams focus on competing, winning and being as competitive as possible, said Ward Strueby, director of education.
Meanwhile, there are organizations like JumpStart where parents can apply for funding to support their kids in sports, he continued. Moreover, Holy Trinity covers the fees for students in some schools, although every situation is different and it’s possible to miss some youths.
“School sports … are significantly cheaper (for parents) than if you played club sports. It’s not even close,” Strueby said, pointing to the expenses of competing during weekends and for a full year.
Bradish acknowledged that reality but said she was concerned about how the division was supporting student-athletes who, through no fault of their own, weren’t on club teams and wanted to compete in high schools.
“We talk about equity and I understand there are a lot of programming for low-income and middle-income (students),” she said. “My point is the students in our division should not have to worry about (competitive disparities because of money).”
Bradish said she wasn’t disputing how much it cost to play nor the fact that schools wanted great athletes, but she wanted to ensure everyone was benefiting and that sports were reaching everyone.
“If someone is called to be an Olympic athlete, go for it,” she continued, adding the fees schools charge could influence students’ decisions to participate.
Prince Albert Catholic School Division offers several competitive teams in high school, but it only allows one senior boys’ team and one senior girls’ team to compete at provincials, while other teams can compete at in-season tournaments, said Strueby.
Furthermore, Moose Jaw high schools allow only four competitive teams per age category — senior, intermediate, junior, freshman — because of issues with having enough officials, he continued. He acknowledged that sports are more competitive today and that more student-athletes specialize in one area and play almost year-round than before.
The next Holy Trinity board meeting is Monday, Oct. 21.
