Thursday, February 2, 2017

Home School Sports and Public Access

One argument for more access to public schools has always been for sports. I personally am not an advocate for public school access for sports but not because I don’t understand the passion for sports. I am a mom of boys. My oldest was tackle football, lived and breathed it, from the time he was 6 years old. My youngest was basketball, again playing since he was 5 years old. When my oldest was approaching his last days in rec ball we were considering putting him back in school to be able to play highschool football. We too were confused by the harm of access. However, I just couldn’t see giving up such a good thing in homeschooling to go back into schools and risks that entailed. The answer? Homeschool sports.

 In 2004, faced with the dilemma of an 8th grader wanting football I – a mere homeschool mom- created Force Highschool Athletics. Force is still around today with similar success as we had in those founding years. They offer football and cheerleading. But is it REAL football? We had played in the public rec department all the way through our elementary and middle school years. My son played ball with all the starters from Mill Creek and even some of Dacula and Buford players. Some of those guys went on to play college ball. If you know anything about rec ball now days, especially in Gwinnett, it’s a training ground for the highschool programs. With up to 4 teams each age group, one team quickly ends up being that team of boys that will learn early the highschool plays and be groomed to start on the highschool programs in a few years. We were on that team, starting right along with the best of them. Ask my son was it the same game? Was it real football? He will reply definitely so. Now some teams we played weren’t the same caliber, but the training at Force from experienced college level players (now dads) and playoff caliber teams were definitely true football. Some of the boys off those early Force teams went on to play college ball. One of my son’s best friends is currently a record holder in his division (I think division 2) of college ball for yards carried as a kickoff returner. Other players within our homeschool division were found at schools like Shorter, West GA, Liberty, and even GA Tech.

 I tell the football story first because it’s been the most recent success in homeschool sports and done through all homeschool teams, not just Tim Tebow or Jason Tayler who played in the school systems as a homeschooler. Access laws are not the answer. Both those situations are states that had heavy homeschool regulations and public school oversight. But what about other sports? Both my boys played highly competitive basketball also. The problem in GA is that homeschoolers can’t compete against public school teams. Well they do compete against them in summer leagues and guess what? The homeschoolers can and do win! Homeschool teams can play public school teams in SC and there again – homeschoolers win. There are extremely successful homeschool basketball teams that produce Division 1 athletes all over the country, especially in Oklahoma. Homeschool baseball has probably been around the longest and countless local homeschool athletes went on to play college ball and several even made it to the minors at least. Homeschool fast pitch softball, volleyball, soccer and other sports are on the rise. Sports like swimming, wrestling, golf and other individual success sports are also full of homeschoolers. Not needing full teams they can compete on their own merits. With the extra time and focus on their sport, they are highly successful.

 Homeschool athletes are NCAA eligible athletes. They just need to go online and do an application which entails full explanation of their highschool work, courses, grades, etc. It is not necessary to be through an accredited program to be eligible either. You will just need to ensure that you do the things the NCAA requires like credit hours, testing, etc.

 Drawbacks to homeschool sports are the expense and travel. However, people tell me they can play ball free in the schools. This is NOT the case that I know of. Very few, if any, get highschool sports scholarships. Most players have fees $500-$1000 in their sports, either direct or through REQUIRED fundraising. Because of the limited access to play highly competitive teams sometimes homeschoolers must travel. But highschool players in most sports that are recruited out are found in off season travel ball leagues anyway, not in regular season play.

 What happens with the Tebow or other access laws? More regulations on homeschoolers are probable. In schools that have too many talented kids to play already, your kids probably won’t get a shot. The students in the school alienate the ones that homeschool because it kept their friend from playing or they don’t understand homeschooling. You miss last minute announcements, impromptu practice, etc. The benefits of homeschool sports though are so worth the time and effort. Their teammates are generally like minded Christians, their coaches are homeschool dads or volunteers from the community that see the potential in our young people. A few teams pay coaches but generally these programs exist because of the hard work and dedication of strongly involved homeschool parents that want to ensure their children have the ultimate experiences from their homeschooling.

 But the biggest benefit of all with homeschool sports is we’re one big family. Everyone plays a role in most programs from working concessions to siblings as water boys. I know my kids’ friends and their parents. I don’t send my kids to a game on a bus somewhere. I am there for every step of their experience. Those long car rides are bonding without the distractions of technology (or as much distraction). And they see your investment in their lives and ultimately respect you and love you more for it.

 Author Note: I created Force Athletics in 2004, we participated in another extremely successful competitive sports program that does basketball, baseball, softball and golf, and then we helped form HALO athletics in 2011. I have written a book on how to form a homeschool athletics program and helped programs elsewhere in GA all the way to Louisiana to form. My husband has coached homeschool basketball for 10 years, coaching several national title teams.

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