Student athletes at Dell Rapids High School will be met with a new eligibility policy starting this fall for the upcoming school year. The new policy was explained by Dell Rapids High School Principal Drew Bunkers during the Dell Rapids School Board regular meeting on Monday, July 9th.

Prior to this change, Dell Rapids followed the eligibility guidelines of the South Dakota High School Activities Association.  Those guidelines state that the student athlete needs to pass two credits the semester prior to the current sport season to be eligible.

“We looked at a situation if you played just volleyball or just football, you could realistically get to the end of your senior year with six credits and never miss a game. You would be not even close to any where near graduating, and you would have played every football game or every volleyball game as long as you passed two credits in the spring. You could flunk every thing in the fall, it wouldn’t matter, you’d play every game. You’d be ineligible for the spring, which you don’t participate in anything.  You’d pass (in the spring), it resets, you play,” said Bunkers.

The new policy that was proposed by Bunkers and approved by the school board is as follows:

• Grade/Eligibility for activities will be determined at the midterm and end of each quarter/semester. In order to be eligible, a student must pass all of his/her academic courses. Should a student become ineligible at midterm by receiving a failing grade in one or more courses, he/she won’t be allowed to participate in activities for a period of one week or one contest, whichever is greater, effective the Monday after midterm grades have been submitted. If he/she is still receiving a failing grade after one week, he/she will become ineligible for an additional week or contest. Ineligibility will continue until a student can maintain a passing grade in all courses. Students can regain eligibility by showing evidence of a passing grade to the principal or activities director. Students will then become eligible the following Monday after proof of passing all courses. The minimum requirement for ineligibility is one full week or one contest. If a student receives a failing grade in a course(s) for a quarter or semester, he/she will become ineligible for two weeks or two contests, whichever is greater. All SDHSAA requirements and policies must also be met. Students will still be allowed to practice during a period of ineligibility.

During the school board meeting a question was raised about the possibility of students who might be in school just for the sports and what will those students be told.

Bunkers answered, “You’re number one job here is to get an education. That’s what we’re charged with is educating you. If you want to play sports and that is your main motivator, we need to do it in the classroom for you to play the sports. It’s completely up to that student if they are eligible or not. If they put in the work in the classroom, they will remain eligible, and they’ll get to play their sports.”