D20 hosts meeting to hear parental concerns about cutting co-ed hockey and women’s lacrosse
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Since the beginning of the school year, District 20 has been evaluating Women's Lacrosse and Co-ed Hockey as sports programs. They say, as a result of these evaluations, they are recommending a consolidation of the four teams for each program into two.
D20 says that they're recommending a consolidation because they're concerned about the experience level of each team -- contributing to student safety, practice location availability and student participation.
During the women's lacrosse meeting, the athletic director pointed to a lack of consistent success in the teams as well as a small team size lacking positional depth.
Women's Lacrosse for the district currently spans four teams. The consolidation would cut that program to two teams in the district, allowing each to have both a Junior Varsity and Varsity level team. Similar cuts would take place for Ice Hockey. These changes would take place at the beginning of the next school year.
Tonight's meeting allowed parents to express their concerns, with pro and con lists present for each of the parents to fill out at each meeting.
"So many kids will not have the opportunity and that… I don't feel that they've done the research to justify consolidating," said Jennifer Paul, a D20 parent.
Paul has two daughters in Ice Hockey in District 20.
Some of the concerns parents expressed had to do with transportation and team culture changing with the consolidation.
Based on the comments coming from parents, the District decided not to propose the consolidation to the board.
"It eliminates the opportunity for our children and it it eliminates the life lessons that they have the opportunity to learn from. And one of the greatest things about District 20 is that we have many opportunities for our kids," Paul said.