DATE: Friday, October 24, 1997              TAG: 9710220223

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 14   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   49 lines

SANS MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS, SUFFOLK FEELS OUTMANNED

No one expected Suffolk's Nansemond River and Lakeland high schools to walk right into the Group AAA district from the Group AA Bay Rivers District last year and grab a handful of championship banners.

But many supporters don't see the programs being consistently competitive until Suffolk offers middle school sports programs, as Chesapeake does.

For the time being, at least, that is a dead issue with Suffolk Public Schools.

``All around the city, I keep hearing people talk about why we don't have middle school sports,'' said Lakeland assistant football and girls head track coach Gregory Rountree.

From the school system's perspective, the response is simple - priorities.

``We have to focus our efforts and resources on maximizing student achievement potential,'' said Milton R. Liverman, an assistant superintendent for Suffolk Public Schools. ``If they are staying after school for something, it should not be for middle school sports.''

For many, it's not just the losing - there's a feeling of unfairness. Some argue that the two schools are not on a level playing field with their Chesapeake foes. Suffolk also already has a 2.0 GPA rule for extra-curricular activities. Chesapeake is considering the policy but has not yet installed such a requirement.

``We definitely need middle school sports,'' Lakeland field hockey coach Sue Ardelji said. ``When they come out in ninth grade, it's the first time they are touching a stick.''

At Lakeland and Nansemond River, eighth-graders are eligible for junior varsity. However, there is a flaw in the system, particularly for football players.

``There is a tremendous amount of difference between eighth-graders, freshmen and sophomores,'' Nansemond River athletic director Phil Braswell said. ``Usually, eighth-graders are much smaller, slower and not as strong and the bigger kids beat them up so they don't play.''

Rountree said he has had conversations with superintendent Joyce Trump to no avail.

``There is no funding available,'' Braswell said. ``If funding was available, there probably would be some consideration.''

According to Liverman, the issue is not strictly economic. While an emphasis has been put on reducing classroom sizes and adding remedial programs and technology-based programs, Liverman suggests the drive for middle school sports is one-dimensional.

``The feeling is we need middle school sports to be competitive and I don't agree,'' Liverman said. ``I think we can be competitive now.''

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