Lindsay Unified School District started a new school year on Monday, but a new program that may improve the mind and body of its students has yet to make its way back to school.

Superintendent Janet Kliegl said the district is waiting for County Counsel to approve a partnership between LUSD and the City of Lindsay that would allow the city to operate sports programs for students at Steve Garvey Junior High School through the McDermont Field House, which is effectively the cityís recreation department and facility.

ìWe are hoping to get the paperwork done for this year but we arenít quite there yet,î she said in an interview last Friday.

Kliegl said the program would create more teams for seventh and eighth grade students on which to play. Traditional sports such as volleyball and basketball will have more teams and the be played between teams within Lindsay, such as intramural sports like wrestling that is not offered at every junior high school.

ìMost junior high sports are limited by what other schools offer for scheduling games,î she said. ìBut this will create at least two jv and varsity squads for each sport so games can be played independent of other schools if needed.î

By having more teams, more kids will have the opportunity to play and it wonít cost the school district any more money than offering less teams. Klieglís favorite example of a student who was overlooked is NBA Hall-of-Famer Michael Jordan, who didnít make the cut for his ninth grade basketball team.

ìDevelopmentally, students are in a very diverse range at the junior high level, more so than at any other level of school,î Kliegl said. ìIf a child is a late bloomer physically, they may not get a chance to play a sport and without that experience they may never come back to athletics. There might be real potential there but it is never realized. This whole program is about giving more students a chance to play and be active.î

In addition to providing athletic opportunity, students will also benefit by being more physically active, the active ingredient, along with nutrition, to fighting childhood obesity.

The school district would use junior high funding to pay for the coaches, but the money would be spent through the city. Students will still sign up through the school as they always have, but practice and games will be held at McDermont and at the junior high school campus.

City Manager Scot Townsend said the program would also develop more well-rounded student athletes by offering music, arts and tutorial programs. Students will not be required to register for any of the programs and registering does not sign up the student for any programs in which they do not want to participate.

ìBy teaching a student good study habits it well help them keep up their grades and be eligible to play sports,î said Townsend during a report to the City Council on Aug. 12. ìWe will be making students better athletically, culturally, artictically and academically.î

For more information about the program, call the Lindsay Unified School District at 562-5111 or McDermont Field House at 562-3326.

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