Gymnastics programs dropped from B.C. schools: coaches, students upset | 24CA News
The governing physique for sport for the province’s main and secondary faculties has dropped gymnastics as a sanctioned sport.
BC School Sports (BCSS) stated the rationale was primarily based on low enrollment numbers and gymnastics usually not happening inside the college itself.
In the 2022-23 season, there have been solely 453 athletes throughout B.C. enrolled in class gymnastics, in response to the BCSS.
The BCSS went on to justify the choice citing a disproportionate variety of athletes in class gymnastics come from the Lower Mainland and Sea to Sky Country.
“67 per cent (298) of the 453 athletes came from the Lower Mainland,” BCSS stated in its annual Statement of Operations.
“Gymnastics has moved away from being a school-based sport to a community-based sport. In the Okanagan Valley Athletic Association there is not a single school that runs gymnastics in their building.”
Now, what this implies for college kids who take part of their faculties’ gymnastics packages is that they will now not compete at provincial championships of their sport.
In addition, college students will now not be eligible for an athletic scholarship in gymnastics.
The determination by BCSS is extraordinarily upsetting to Terry Mitruk, the gymnastics coach at Sutherland Secondary in North Vancouver.
“It doesn’t cost them anything extra. We are a small community. So, the workload is not significantly more. If it’s a workload issue, then tell us and help us resolve that issue,” Mitruk informed Global News.
He additionally takes exception with BCSS’s reasoning and asserts that solely round one third of college gymnastic athletes prepare in a membership.
Adding, most athletes, in reality, do prepare in school gyms with the oversight of college employees.
He says this additionally largley impacts younger, feminine college students who make up the overwhelming majority of gymnastic athletes.
Many teen women typically drop out of organized sports activities across the age of 13 however Mitruk says college packages assist to maintain them lively and linked outdoors the tutorial setting of college.
“Some of them really struggle to connect to their school. They’re unmotivated by their studies. This has given them a support network, a community where they like coming to school. They’re hanging out in a multi grade setting where our senior students are mentoring and tutoring our younger athletes. The benefits are immeasurable,” Mitruk defined.
Kaya Mahony is in grade 8 and says she fairly gymnastics final yr however rejoined in highschool. Now, she’s in disbelief her sport is now not supported by the province.
“I was really surprised, because everyone seems to really enjoy it.I didn’t think it would ever happen,” Mahony shared.
It’s actually like a enjoyable group to be in. Eeven if in case you have no expertise, you may all the time simply have enjoyable.”
Mitruk thinks it’s unfair to drop gymnastics because the sport is rising in sure zones of B.C., largely within the Lower Mainland, regardless of being much less well-liked in others, just like the Kootenays and North West, the place zero athletes had been registered this yr.
Mitruk says there’s loads of questions now about how the game he coaches will change shifting ahead,
“We don’t know if we will have the equitable access to gym time or be able to advertise programs to the schools when we’re no longer a sanctioned sport.”
In an announcement, BCSS has famous newer sports activities with rising attraction have not too long ago turn out to be sanctioned like Esports and supreme.
“BCSS has had to make other difficult decisions in response to changing dynamics and demands across its 6-decade history. Conversely, BCSS has added Girls Rugby XVs, Boys and Girls Rugby 7s and Ultimate in recent years in response to evolving trends and requests from its member schools. ”
However, Mitruk doesn’t really feel assured in the way forward for the BCSS’s mandate of inclusion and variety if sports activities are being minimize.
“There are other sports with smaller participation and certainly our fear is that we are the first sport to be removed, which sports are next? This is now a narrowing of the sport offerings available to students in schools and they need as many opportunities to connect with their schools as possible.”
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
