First of all I want to say that I take any alcohol violations serious at any age. My sister was killed in a head-on collision by a drunk driver two years ago so I don't take any of this lightly. I also belive if you read, understand and sign a school policy then you know the expectations and should live by those rules (or work to change them). In most cases, these policies are a "no win," either 'too strick' or 'not strick enough.' I believe this; in some cases taking sports away from kids for the entire (or rest) of the season may be the worst option. All you've essentially done is free up more time for them to have nothing to do and be bored which usually leads to trouble (kids + free time + boredom usually = trouble). There are so many busted-up families today that very often the only quality relationships and discipline these kids have is through their coaches and teammates. Does the punishment fit the crime? That can always be debated. Is a suspension the only punishment, or are there other consequences? One last thought, although extracurricular activies are indeed NOT a required part of an education, they are one of the most important educational elements. Sports and competition prepares you for many real life situations (i.e. goal setting, hard work, overcoming fears, failures, making and handling mistakes, relationships with coaches/bosses, relationship with teammates/co-workers, navigating the politics, etc). I could go on. Just want to share the point that I use what I learned through sports and competition everyday. With all appologies to my math teacher, I haven't had to bust out an algebra formula to solve a problem in a long time. Not trying to say anyone is right or wrong here. Greats posts on this topic for a good healthy exchange of ideas. In the long run, I believe we all want what's best for the kids. After all, they may very well be the ones making decisions on our well-being tomorrow.

Coach M.