Recently, I read somewhere ( don't really remember where) that high school principals were going to be voting this month on whether or not to sanction high school fishing.  They are voting with the Missouri State High School Athletic Association or something like that.

 

I really don't have a dog in this fight, my only association with school is that I pay school taxes.  However, I think that this is a good idea and that high school fishing tournaments (and the associated clubs that will happen because of the tournaments) are a good idea.

 

I am going to call the principals of the high schools in my area and bug them to vote yes.  Or get a really good reason why they are going to vote no.   Then I'll explain why voting no is unacceptable.   I would encourage other fishermen who live in Missouri to call the principals in their local high schools and do the same thing.  Apparently the voting for this is going to happen over the next month or so.

 

If anyone else knows more about this, feel free to respond.

 

All I know is that when I was in high school I would have liked to have been able to join the fishing club and maybe fish a tournament or two.  It is too late for me, but if I can make that happen for some nameless high school student, I am good with that.

theres a short snippet in the feb issue of the missouri conservationist when my 11 year old nephew read he got excited even though hes a few years away from high school lol

Update - Made an effort to talk to a high school principal today - Richmond, MO.  Called at 1:38 got a secretary, took a message, he'll call you back in 20 minutes or so.  Called back at 2:59 - got a different secretary, who took a message and said principal would call back "soon"  Secretary asked me who I was and I answered "a taxpayer".    Called again at 4:15 - got an answering machine - nobody home.

 

I'm going to try again tomorrow.  Being blown off by public servants really bites.

 

On another front, I called the MSHAA.  Found out that the vote to sanction bass fishing as an "activity" will happen in April.   Also on the same ballot will be votes to sanction bowling and chess as "activities".

 

Apparently you can't call chess or bowling or bass fishing "sports" because that would have Title 9 and gender equity funding issues.  Go figure.  Anyway, I still feel that these activities are worthy of being "sanctioned" and I will continue to bug my local principal about it.

 

Oh yeah, apparently only principals and superintendents can vote on this issue.  More to follow - probably.

A couple of high schools around me have classes that teach about the enviroment.  One of the class activities is going out on a lake for a day fishing.

update #2 - High School principal called me at 7:30 AM.  Didn't know about the upcoming vote in April.  I took a few minutes of his time to relate to him why I thought he should vote yes.  He thanked me for my time with no commitment.  Any follow up from me will be with the superintendent or the school board or the town newspaper.  I don't think that the principal gives a **** one way or another - at least that is the impression he left me with.

update #2 - High School principal called me at 7:30 AM.  Didn't know about the upcoming vote in April.  I took a few minutes of his time to relate to him why I thought he should vote yes.  He thanked me for my time with no commitment.  Any follow up from me will be with the superintendent or the school board or the town newspaper.  I don't think that the principal gives a **** one way or another - at least that is the impression he left me with.

Thanks for the updates, I'm in a public high school in MO right now and would love a school fishing team as long as it doesn't conflict with baseball . Thanks for your work!

I read about it somewhere too. I hope they vote yes, even though it's a bit late for me too.

My $.02. 

 

Maybe we can keep on spending our efforts in sports in HS and college, and let the Asians continue to take over all our skilled professions. 

 

Kids should be going to school to get an education not learning to fish.  Maybe that's what the principal was trying to accomplish.

 

By the way:  bowlers and chess players are just as serious about their games as we are about ours.