Our school starts earlier than anyone in Arizona causing conflicts with summer events (i.e. national sports event). Perry students are at a disadvantage. The rest of the nation begins somewhere in between August and Labor Day. 

Since Perry has started, most athletes have been absent for more than one day, affecting their education, after all, national games start during the same time as AZ school beings. 

The assistant principal/athletic director, Mrs. Burks believes that the problem with the situation is that athletes do not get the chance to meet their teachers or classmates.

Dustin Crenshaw plays in the varsity baseball team in shortstop position. He has met people from different teams as he has played in nationals. Since school began, he had missed 9 days of school to play in national’s over the summer. At first, most of his grades were F’s, but as he focus’ in all of his classes, his grades converted into A’s, B’s and at least one D. 

When dealing with both school and baseball, Crenshaw doesn’t feel pressure about baseball  and his grades. 

“My main focus is baseball and I try to be as sharp as I can at all times with my baseball game. […] So I just really focus on baseball first but I don’t really feel pressure in doing both.” 

Sophomore Ashlee Koush has played softball for 4 years, a catcher in third base. When school began she missed out the first week of school because of national’s. She was able to keep up because she had email her teachers on time asking for assignments and stuff, in which she finish them in Washington. 

She has acceptable grades and plays well. However, there are times when Koush gets stressed when both softball and grades overlap.

“Yes, I get stressed sometimes with my grades and softball overlapping, like if I have a big test the day of practice I get stressed, but I will still end up studying.”

She also stress when ever with her homework and softball practice on the weekends.

“It is hard when I have a lot of homework and softball games on the weekend so that also sometimes stresses me out and I end up doing a lot of it on Friday night so I don’t have to do so much over the weekend!” 

Mrs. Burks understands that some athletic kids are given the opportunity to play in nationals which they deserve to experience these exciting opportunities. She can confirm that grades aren’t really a major problem because they contact teachers in time. Plus, athlete’s are very motivated.

The problem that Mrs. Burks considers is that athlete’s miss the time to get along with peers and teachers in classrooms.  

In Mrs. Burks opinion, “Being an athlete in  jr. high is easier than being a high school student because high school requires lots of academic work.”