Takedown Report

Growing Is the Purpose: Keeping Education First in High School Sports

NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker writes about the importance of keeping education at the center of high school athletics.
High school sports is experiencing record participation. It is also experiencing unprecedented pressure. Across the country, young athletes are training earlier, competing year-round and navigating expectations shaped by a rapidly expanding youth sports economy. For many families, athletics now feel like increasingly high stakes.
High school sports operate differently—by design. They exist within schools, alongside classrooms, guided by the same educational mission. Participation is structured to support academic success and to teach intangibles like discipline, teamwork, resilience and responsibility. Rules around eligibility, seasons and competition are not barriers to ambition; they are safeguards for students. As expectations around winning and advancement continue to rise, we at the NCHSAA believe it is worth reaffirming the role that high school athletics play in education—and why that purpose matters.
Every high school athlete is a student first, and we see high school sports as a vital extension of the classroom. In “the last class of the day,” student-athletes develop character and integrity and learn life lessons they will carry with them long after their playing days are over.
Today’s high school student-athletes will be tomorrow’s leaders. So, while the goal of playing high school sports is to win, the true purpose is much greater—for students to learn and grow as people.
How? By keeping high school sports educational, competitively balanced and accessible for all students. Why? To ensure high school sports develop the whole person, not just the athlete. … more at … https://www.highschoolot.com/story/growing-is-the-purpose-keeping-education-first-in-high-school-sports/22305650/

January 24, 2026 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized