By Ellen Heidenreich

Freshmen are frazzled as it is with the homework, projects, tests and other aspects of high school, and on top of all this, a percentage of Freshmen are also participating in varsity sports.  A varsity study hall in lieu of gym, currently only available to upperclassmen would be a great solution to this problem, except underclassmen athletes are not eligible. 

The freshmen transitioning from junior high to high school are already competing at such a high level that they need a study hall even more than upperclassmen.  Some believe that a varsity study hall is a privilege that should only be provided to juniors and seniors, however freshmen and sophomores need even more time to help them adjust to the heavy workload of high school.

Not everyone agrees.  Instructional Coordinator for the Wellness Department, John Fiore said, “I don’t believe anyone deserves an athletic study hall, it’s really important for teens to stay physically active every single day.”

Most varsity athletes exercise vigorously for several hours a day.  Freshman and varsity swimmer Jilian Eiken practices twice a day swimming an average of 7,000 yards or a little over four miles a day.

“I had to take a study hall, it’s a great time to get homework done, but it is a wasted credit when I could have taken another elective that would have counted toward my GPA,” said Eiken.

Varsity sports include students from all grades and should not put juniors and seniors on a pedestal because they have seniority.  Personally, I believe an underclassman in a varsity sport is even more deserving of an athletic study hall because they have accomplished so much at such a young age.

Whether or not a student deserves an athletic study hall should not be decided by age.  If you are competing at the same level as juniors and seniors there is no reason why an upperclassmen should be rewarded and not an underclassmen.