KFDM COOP

She can play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad she's a Cardinal!

NM

Without a doubt!

Texas Board of Education moves ahead on proposal to give high school athletes .... 12:00 AM CDT on Friday, July 18, 2008 By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News [email protected] AUSTIN – State Board of Education members agreed Thursday to move ahead on a proposed rule that would allow high school athletes to receive twice as much credit toward graduation as allowed under current state requirements. The proposal – allowing four years of sports to count for credit instead of two – will be drafted as a new state rule and voted on by the board at its next meeting in September. Although some board members voiced reservations about the idea, most who spoke on the issue Thursday expressed support for the rule, calling it a matter of fairness for thousands of student athletes in Texas high schools. Backers, including the Texas High School Coaches Association, contend that new state graduation requirements calling on students to do more coursework discriminate against student athletes by slicing the time available for participation in sports. "This is a fairness issue," said board member Ken Mercer, R-San Antonio, noting that students in other extracurricular activities – such as band and dance – can get four years of credit for those activities. "If we are going to honor scholar dancers, why not honor scholar athletes?" he asked. "We will still be requiring all the core [academic] courses for all our students." A recent survey by the Texas Education Agency of 1,154 Texas superintendents, principals and teachers found that more than 86 percent favored the idea of credit for four years of sports. Craig Agnew, the Brenham High School coach and teacher who petitioned the board to adopt the rule, told members that an "unfair burden" is being placed on student athletes who are struggling to meet all the new course requirements while continuing to participate in sports. That burden was not imposed on students in activities such as band, choir, dance teams, theater and Junior ROTC, he pointed out. "I was dumbfounded by the lack of fairness toward athletes," he said. "Many of these students are having to make alternative academic plans while others will opt not to participate in athletics for all four years." Asked whether the change would lead to increased pressure on some students to participate in sports for four years, Mr. Agnew replied: "I would be naive to say no. But I also believe it won't happen in good programs that do things the right way." Board member Terri Leo, R-Spring, was the main critic of the proposal, arguing that it would force the board to write curriculum standards for football, basketball and other sports, and that it would reduce the number of elective courses that student athletes could take in high school. "I am concerned we are not adding academic rigor in our high schools if we do this," she said. "Let's wait and see how the [new graduation standards] work." But other board members said they were persuaded by Mr. Agnew's arguments. "I have generally found that students who do best in school are those who participate in extracurricular activities," said Bob Craig, R-Lubbock. "And if we're going to give four credits for band and ROTC, I believe we ought to do the same for athletics." Under the new state graduation requirements, which took effect with freshmen last year, students need four years each of math, science, English and social studies – the so-called 4x4 core courses – along with their electives and a handful of other required classes such as two years of foreign language and 1 ½ years of physical education. In all, the number of credits needed to get a diploma will increase from 24 to 26 for students graduating in 2011. A credit is equal to one year of instruction in a subject. Students can now get up to two years of credit for participation in sports, which meets the current requirement of 1 ½ years of physical education and also a half-year toward elective course requirements. Under the proposed rule, a student would be able to count the additional two years in athletics as part of the elective courses needed for graduation. The so-called Recommended High School Program – taken by most students – requires 3 ½ elective credits to graduate, as well as 1 ½ credits of physical education. That would mean a student utilizing the proposed option would count four years of sports as 1 ½ credits in physical education and 2 ½ credits in electives. Other groups supporting the change are the Texas Girls Coaches Association and the Texas Athletic Directors Association.

4-2 on Friday! Congrats!

Navratilova to headline Ford Arena tennis exhibition July, 17, 2008 Martina Navratilova will headline a tennis exhibition that includes tennis pros Robby Ginepri, Chanda Rubin and Mardy Fish in the second Pro/Celebrity Classic at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at Ford Arena, arena officials announced Thursday. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Ford Park box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. This tennis exhibition will be less than a year after tennis stars Pete Sampras and Anna Kournikova were among those who played in Beaumont last Nov. 3.

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He's doing the right thing!!

Congrats [Hidden Content]

Good luck this season!

H-F’s Courville good fit for MC 17-18 By Cody Pastorella The Port Arthur News Unless you are really on top of your Southeast Texas sports, there is one name on the Mid County 17-18-year-old All Stars that isn’t exactly a familiar one. That name is Randall Courville, a recent graduate and former two-sport star at Hampshire-Fannett. Courville played quarterback for the Longhorns as well as hitting over .470 with three home runs for the baseball team. Courville is the only Class 3A player on the Senior Babe Ruth team, a squad that is made up of players mostly from District 22-4A. But Courville says he is no stranger to Mid County. He said his first home was in Mid County and that even after his family moved to Fannett, he continued to play his summer ball here. "All but a couple years," he said. "The competition is just better here and a lot of these guys are good friends. They were the first guys I played with." As far as the competition level between District 22-4A and District 21-3A, Courville said with Bridge City, Jasper and Hardin-Jefferson, 21-3A can hold its own but when it comes to summer ball, but the Mid County area wins hands down. "I guess the biggest difference, from what I am used to at HF, and what goes on at PN-G or at Nederland, we had something like 30 kids try out for the entire program this past season. We didn't even have enough players to fill out a freshman squad. Being on an all star team like this, there is real competition to hold a spot in the lineup. "Every guy in the lineup is as good. I've never been on a team this big before. It really just adds to the intensity and level of competition and it certainly makes the team better as a unit. Knowing we have guys who can come off the bench and do just a good a job, if not better in a particular situations, that is something I've never played with before." Courville is joined by Nederland's Adam Broussard, Jude Vidrine, Aaron McFarland, Justin Richard, Ryan Sampere, PN-G's Eric Harrington, Austin Sangster, Mitch Todd, Jon Carnihan, JJ Garcia, Vidor's VJ Bunner, Taylor Robichau, Will Fontnow, LC-M's Ben Jones, Lumberton's Stephen McDonough and West Brook's Aaron Bender. MC's head coach Jimmy Collins said Courville will usually bat either third or fourth in the line up and, depending on the situation, will start at first base or left field. "He's a big, powerful hitter," Collins said. "Every time we take the field, we are counting on his power and we always expect big things from him and we know he is capable." Courville was selected to the 21-3A all-district team his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. He was also an all-state nominee this past season. As far as the players Courville did not know before this summer ball season, Collins said Courville could mesh well with anybody. "He is a team oriented guy." MC will meet Helena, Miss., today at 10 a.m. in El Dorado, Ark., for the first round of the Regional Tournament. If MC beats Mississippi, it will play at noon Saturday. The Regional is an eight-team, double-elimination tournament. The other six teams in the bracket include Camden, Ark., North Arkansas, South Arkansas, Union County, Ark. and Louisiana.

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Congrats Coach!

Joe Montana's son, Gretzky's son, & Will Smith's all 3 on the same squad. [Hidden Content]

Good news!

West Hardin Preview [Hidden Content]

8) 8) 8) Good deal.

:D

Saw most of it!!! He looked great!

Yes he is!! That's the word, he'll be the first QB.

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LOL, yes Bubba is at Silsbee.

Congrats!