Parents ask South for soccer program

About 100 parents signed a petition asking for co-ed soccer at the middle school.

By: Linda Seida
   WEST AMWELL — Almost 100 parents from Lambertville, West Amwell and Stockton signed a petition asking South Hunterdon Regional High School to establish a co-ed soccer program for middle school students.
   Parents presented their petition Nov. 16 during a meeting of the Board of Education. Officials did not make a decision that evening concerning the request, but, instead, they are "trying to look at all of the data," Superintendent Lisa Brady said.
   The data include the results of a survey given to elementary students last year and the financial impact of adding a new soccer program.
   The surveys conducted last year asked students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades from the sending districts of Lambertville, West Amwell and Stockton what types of extracurricular activities they participate in and what types of activities they would be interested in joining in the future. Many of the children play soccer in a recreational league.
   While the board is willing to consider the request and make a "reasonable decision," board members also are concerned about the effect a new soccer program would have on already established programs, such as the band and other sports, according to Ms. Brady.
   "We’re so small; the teams we have currently in the fall often struggle for participants," Ms. Brady said.
   Parent Gail Brewi said the survey of elementary school students showed about 37 children would make soccer their first choice.
   "The numbers are very strong so you’d have more than enough kids," she said Monday.
   South’s sports lineup does not offer a soccer program for either boys or girls at the high school or middle school level. What it does offer in its fall sports program is football, cross country, basketball and field hockey.
   In addition, South Hunterdon’s newest team sport is bowling, which drew interest from 37 students.
   Ms. Brewi has five children, two of whom attend West Amwell Elementary School, which doesn’t have a soccer program. So Jonathan, 12, and Lauren, 10, belong to a travel league.
   The league, a sort of club, requires tryouts and fees, and members compete against other teams within their league. At one time, they played for a league in Buckingham, Pa., but Ms. Brewi said that became too far to travel. Now they play soccer with a league based in New Hope-Solebury.
   "Our family feels pretty strongly about the soccer issue," Ms. Brewi said.
   Her children are bright and do well academically, she said, but she added she believes the whole child should be addressed, not just academics, and her children as well as many others have a love of soccer. When they reach South Hunterdon, both Jonathan and Lauren want to play soccer, she said. Jonathan has no interest in football, and soccer is the only sport Lauren plays, she added.
   The family believes in it so strongly that it’s possible the children could end up enrolled in a private school that does offer a soccer program if South doesn’t establish one, Ms. Brewi said. In fact, the children came to West Amwell from a private school.
   "We’ve had nothing but a positive experience, and I want to see that continue at South," Ms. Brewi said.