Why Junior High and High School shouldn't cut athletes from school sport teams before sophomore year

Loneliness, depression, even suicide...being a member of a team helps a young teen feel wanted plus your choosing talent over desire to early in a player's development.

Ryan Gusto got cut 3 out of 4 years in high school. In June of 2019, Ryan Gusto was drafted in the 11th round of the MLB Draft by the Houston Astros.

Op-Ed: Jeff Schlapp

Last October I sat through a speech given by a coach who ended my son’s basketball career before it even began. I was among about 30 to 40 parents on Parents Night at Bozeman High, where Winter Sports was being introduced by each coach and what he/she expected from kids trying out and us parents.

When Junior High school ended last year, I immediately emailed the high school basketball coach and told him my son had expressed interest in being on the team and was curious about any camps the school offered or summer ball—crickets.

I noticed that Gallatin High School's full summer basketball schedule, including summer teams and camps for boys and girls, was available online. After several emails, I switched to the AD, who sent me to his assistant, who, in mid-August, sent me a wonderful schedule of camps and games as well as open gym dates and times.

Better late than never, I suppose.

Instead, he spent hours working out with guys at the Ridge and some time with a private coach over the summer.

Then came the Winter Sports meeting. There, I learned from the Head Coach that he cuts at all levels. As far as freshmen players, he told us that he and his assistant coaches had picked potential teams through open gyms and had a chance to see who they liked. For the freshman team, he said he only keeps 12 players and that he saw 12 kids at the open gym who he liked.

I thought to myself, why have freshman tryouts?

I saw my son play over the summer and fall, and I knew as a freshman he wasn’t good enough to play on the Gardiner Bruins or Shields Valley Rebels varsity squad, but he’d make their JV teams, and he would have made the freshman “C” team at Park High.

I told him to keep practicing and find out from his friends what the summer schedule is. We’ll also send him to camps so he can try out his sophomore year.

But there was no need for all the drama. This is Montana, not the Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles.

High School sports teams need to create a no-cut policy before the student/athlete's sophomore year.

Emotional Effects of Being Cut from a Team