Recently, the State of Florida tabled a proposal to Duval county to remove “all” athletics from its 20 public schools, as a way to cut the budget deficit…..As you can imagine the feces “hit the fan”!  Think about it, 20 public schools in one single county doing away with every sport, including cheerleading and band!  The mere mention of such a proposal should have caused every citizen to re-think the votes they cast in the last state and local elections!  It appears that the individuals holding the political power (for now) have either never played a single sport in their lives or they have simply forgotten their experiences, perhaps covered by the money they’re making!

This is not the first time this type of proposal has come up, but before, it was more of a “sabre rattling” to get monies elsewhere.  But now, supposedly, it could be a shocking reality!  So much, that Quinn Gray, former NFL quarterback of the Jacksonville Jaguars, resigned from his coaching position at Andrew Jackson High School because he did not feel secure about high school sports in Jacksonville and whether or not there was a future in coaching or managing!

So, here we are, stupified at the possibilities of no high school sports in a large county where sports has been very popular and has fed some legends and legends “to be”, like Bob Hayes, Harold Carmichael, Vince Coleman, Chipper Jones, Jonathan Papelbon, Jabar Gaffney, Laveranues Coles and Lito Sheppard…..the list is longer, but I think you get the picture!

Now, in talking with the Regional Athletic Director, Jon Fox, he feels that this will be worked out and has asked to give the Duval County School Board some time to work through it……In the meantime, the kids, their parents and coaches are pretty much trying not to freak out!  I mean, is this going to be like the announcement of the military not getting paid because of the government shutdown, one week before they get their paychecks?  Yeah, that went over really well!  Thank God that they worked it out, at the very last hour (literally)!

I truly hope things work out in Duval county and Florida, for if this proposal were to ever pass, you just might see the city of Jacksonville become a huge dusty parking lot after everyone moves to other counties, cities, etc. so that their kids can take part in something that has been tradition, historical, life-changing and FUN……and don’t forget, for some, the only path leading to a college education!

Just imagine, all of a sudden, there are no sports in your high schools!  “Just go to a private school in the county” you say, or “Move to a close by county”!  Well, that’s great for those that can afford a private school or can afford to pick up and move out of the county (in this real estate market), but for most, it’s not that easy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS RIDICULOUS PROPOSAL?

* For more high school athletics and college recruiting / scholarship assistance, visit:  http://www.viewmysport.com/