Svenka worked hard on her soccer skills and made the school team the previous year. Recently, Svenka got an F on her report card, and the coach told her she would no longer be eligible to play, unless her grades improved. The school that Svenka attends, like many others around the country, has a rule: If you don’t pass a class, you don’t get to play. Svenka thinks that this is unfair. She does not think this one bad grade should affect her place on the team.

Some people think that middle and high school students should maintain certain grade point averages to play sports. Many schools use grades as a prerequisite for participation in after-school activities. They feel that the students should work as hard in the classroom as on the field. If students really want to play, schools believe they will work extra hard in school to make sure that they can.

Not only does this rule encourage student athletes to keep up with their schoolwork, it also motivates coaches to teach players how to manage their time. Coaches don’t want their star athletes to fall behind in school and be dropped from the team.

On the other hand, there are people who do not think grade requirements are a good idea. They may point out that sports help students stay healthy with regular exercise. They may also believe that sports teach important life skills that students need. They think that forcing students to get a certain grade will keep too many from participating. Some people worry that a grade requirement encourages student athletes to aim lower. Students may take easier classes just so they can play sports. Some people think this is unfair to athletes who want to take challenging classes but have to work harder to keep their grades up.

What do you think about this? Does the “no pass, no play” rule seem fair to you? Should students have to meet a grade requirement to participate in sports?