Athletes must meet academic expectations

by Dahneja Jackson

Administrators have established new academic expectations for all student-athletes. 

Student-athletes who receive D’s or F’s in any class at the end of a marking period including interims will be placed on the warning level. The warning level requires students to submit bi-weekly grading reports to academic adviser Emily Stains and to attend a minimum of one tutoring session in the underperforming subject area. 

 Students failing to improve their grade on the bi-weekly grading report will be placed on the probationary level and immediately suspended from practicing with their team. On the probationary level, students must report to an academic study hall, create an academic improvement plan with Ms. Stains and receive tutoring from the classroom teacher.

Principal Tracie Omohundro met with associate principal Nic Barlett, Director of Student Activities Kevin Adams and Ms. Stains to develop the academic requirements after county officials analyzed the academic performance of student-athletes.

“When I got the coaches together and told them about the new program, they were all very excited,” Mrs. Omohundro said. “They were glad to finally have someone backing them.”

Coach Victoria Ferris, who coaches field hockey, girls basketball and softball, said the new program will help raise student academic expectations.

To make sure the athletes in the sports she coaches are following these new guidelines, Mrs. Ferris said her students will miss any practice or game necessary to attend tutoring or prepare assignments.

“I think every school in Virginia should adopt these new guidelines because it teaches students that you have to be educated first; and besides, you have to be able to be smarter and understand your opponent to beat them,” Mrs. Ferris said.

Senior football player Daryl Simmons said that he is not concerned about the guidelines because he has always kept his grades up.

“I wouldn’t play anyway if my grades were bad. I’d be focused on trying to get them up before anything else,” Daryl said.

Senior volleyball player Ieisha Monroe said that even though she is expected to keep her grades up, she does not think that new expectations are needed because they add too much pressure to student-athletes who already have enough on their plates.

“They should have left the rule making to the coaches because the coaches know their athletes’ situations better and would be able to make better decisions for them,” Ieisha said.

Mrs. Omohundro said Henrico County may adopt new academic guidelines for schools next year. Until then, Varina will be flexible when working with student-athletes to improve academic performance.