Girls’ basketball in danger

With girls’ basketball starting in a week, the problem of the Florida High School Athletic Association legislation passed two years ago remains eminent. The legislation prohibits middle-school athletes from continuing to the high-school level of that sport within the same year, with the exception of middle- schoolers who played in the 2016-2017 season. Brevard Public Schools was able to secure a waiver for the 2016-2017 season, but this year the team must accept the inevitable.

“The boys’ team has enough interest to fill the roster,” Athletic Director Tony Riopelle said. “The girls, however, are in such a bad condition that we’re recruiting players straight from the cafeteria.”

To adjust to this new legislation, several girls are skipping the middle-school level of the sport and going straight to junior-varsity basketball. This severely weakens the team and will hinder the program to a state of endangerment without enough talent.

Derrick Hamilton, who coaches both teams expressed concern about the rule’s impact on the middle-school squad.

”If they keep us in the same league, the middle-school program will get killed,” he said. “There should be an exception made for smaller schools like us and Edgewood.”

The Lady Wildcats’ first game is Nov. 20 at home.

By Madhav Pamidimukkala