(Letter to the Editor - Graphic Illustration/MetroCreativeConnection)

The Wood County high school (Parkersburg Catholic, Parkersburg Big Red, Parkersburg South, and Williamstown) sports championship mantel has seen a shift over the past 12-year period.

Based on the WVSSAC (West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission) database that goes back to 1910, Wood County high schools have won a total of 214 championships broken down as follows: wrestling (48), track (37) basketball (33), tennis (22), volleyball (18), cross country (17), golf (15), football (9), soccer (8), swimming (4), baseball (3), cheer (0), and softball (0). Thus the traditional “core sports” of football, basketball, baseball, and wrestling account for 43% of the total championships in Wood County during this period.

However, when looking at this data from 2010 through the present, Wood County high schools have won a total of 47 championships broken down as follows: track (11), wrestling (10), tennis (7), basketball (6), cross country (5), swimming (4), volleyball (3), football (1), golf (0), soccer (0), baseball (0), cheer (0), and softball (0). Thus the traditional “core sports” of football, basketball, baseball, and wrestling account for 36% (down 7 points) of the total championships in Wood County during this period. Based on this data, one can only wonder if this trend in traditional “core sports” in Wood County will continue, what is driving this shift, and what is being done, if anything, by Wood County Schools to support/understand this shift?

How anyone reacts to and accepts change is based upon one’s own perception. However, change is inevitable for it will be constant and continual throughout our lifetime. It is vital, therefore, that a school/county athletic program understand and manage through change.

Regardless of the sport, sports are an essential and integral part of the K-12 educational curriculum since a sport develops a student by teaching them how to deal with adversity, overcome obstacles, be part of a team, time manage, and develop the skills and dispositions needed for academic, social, and vocational success later in life.

Henry Sasyn

Vienna