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Fort Benton board OKs allowing eighth‑graders into most high‑school sports beginning this fall
Summary
The board approved a committee recommendation permitting eighth‑graders to play up in all sports except football starting in the fall, with coaches allowed to set performance standards or open tryouts to ensure fairness.
The Fort Benton School Board voted Thursday to allow eighth‑grade students to participate in most high‑school sports starting in the coming school year, excluding football. The committee recommendation, backed by the extracurricular committee and adopted by the board, leaves selection and performance standards to coaches while requiring tryouts where appropriate.
The motion grew out of concern about falling enrollment and competitive balance against other schools that already allow younger students to play up. Committee members said a sport‑by‑sport approach with coach‑set standards would avoid repeated board appeals and promote fairness across seasons.
Board members and coaches discussed practical details: whether tryouts should be open to all eligible students, how coaches would document procedures, and how to treat spring sports already underway. Coaches emphasized consistency from year to year and written procedures to be added to handbooks. The board also separately approved a committee request allowing two eighth‑grade students to play high‑school tennis this season; both students had been offered the opportunity by coaches and only two elected to participate this year.
The board did not provide a roll‑call tally in the transcript; the chair announced the motions carried by voice vote. The district indicated it will work with coaches to draft written procedures and update the athletic handbook as needed.
