A response to “A new approach to middle-school athletics” [Viewpoints, Dec. 17]:
In the fall of 1998, I was hired as a principal to open Heritage Middle School in South Berwyn School District 100. At the heart of my vision was a commitment to a no-cut athletic policy — a decision that transformed our students and community.
I write in strong support of Rachel Lada’s call for Oak Park’s District 97 to expand athletic opportunities for all middle-school students. Her observations about the inequity of limiting participation reflect what we experienced firsthand at Heritage.
Our athletic director witnessed remarkable transformations. He recalls watching typically non-athletic students make game-winning shots in basketball, experiencing joy and confidence they would never have known under a traditional tryout system. These moments weren’t anomalies — they were the daily reality of an inclusive program that valued every student’s potential to grow.
The students who benefited most were often those from families who couldn’t afford club sports or private coaching. We saw firsthand how cut-based programs privilege students whose families have resources while excluding those who don’t. Middle school should be where students discover their abilities, not where we sort them based on advantages they had before arriving.
A no-cut policy doesn’t abandon competitive excellence. At Heritage, we fielded tournament teams for advanced players while maintaining developmental teams for all students. This dual approach served everyone. When students saw pathways for both participation and competition, the entire athletic culture thrived.
The logistics are manageable. Grade-level teams, multiple squads, and rotating practice schedules work. What’s required is commitment to the principle that all students deserve the opportunity to play, learn, and grow through athletics.
When 50 students say, “We want to play,” they’re asking us to believe in their potential. Our responsibility as educators is to meet that enthusiasm with opportunity, not rejection.
D97 has the resources and students ready to participate. What’s needed is the courage to choose inclusion over exclusion. Our students deserve nothing less.
Leslie Hodes
Oak Park
Retired principal, Heritage Middle School
Berwyn School District 100
