By Yegor Zenkov

The Great Hearts Schools have always been well regarded for their academics, but many are struggling to get their athletic programs off the ground. As a result, many Division 4 and 5 tournaments are dominated by only a few schools. When it comes to athletics, the deck has always been stacked against small schools. Bigger schools have more players to choose from, and more resources with which to equip and train their team. While winning is certainly not everything, the larger purpose of an athletics program is to promote teamwork, cooperation, and to teach its members the value of hard work. So when players could pull out all of the stops, work as hard as they can and still end up with loss after loss, part of the value of a sports team is lost.

This issue had gotten so serious this fall that the AIA actually had to hear a proposal that would allow multiple schools to essentially combine teams, hopefully evening out the competition in the process. The proposal was swiftly voted down after a firestorm of controversy, with concerned parents worried about destroying only 5 or 6 years of team history and culture across the state. With more students vying for a spot on a team of the same size, everyone would get less time in the game. And worst of all, sports would become riddled with logistical problems, with teams not always practicing at their own school.

Worst of all, it would be a lazy way to solve a problem that needs to be solved with time and effort. While schools would have a lager pools of students to work with, the players themselves wouldn’t get better, which is a problem, considering that the combined schools would have moved up a division.

Tempe Prep’s head football coach, Mr. Brittain, had this to say: “All of the schools, they have the numbers, so there’s no reason they can’t be successful.”

The solution, according to him, lies in what Tempe Prep has been doing for years. Tempe Prep is one of the few schools that does weightlifting year-round, keeping students in shape, and allowing them to work on their weaknesses throughout the year. He also frowns on the one-sport culture at many schools, pointing out that TPA has many athletes who play three sports and contribute to each of their teams. But one of the most important factors is the coach. When a team is headed by a coach who isn’t dedicated, the whole team suffers, and thankfully TPA has been blessed with committed and inspirational coaches.

Currently, TPA’s football team is second in the state, with a 10-1 record. With results like that and with a team of passionate, dedicated students, Tempe Prep must be doing something right.