Westminster is a school known for its sports program. Whether it’s the four-peat of the baseball team, the back-to-back boys doubles tennis state championship, or dominant performances by the Lacrosse team, WCA athletics are well known throughout St. Louis. However, the athletic program only represents a fraction of WCA students. Some may not play due to lack of skill, and some may play due to lack of interest, but I’d argue that a lack of sports participation leaves students missing out on a positive experience.

If it was mandatory that WCA students participate in at least one sport a year a person who may have never found sports to be enjoyable can look at it through a whole new lense. Requiring this could also open up the whole high school sports landscape by adding teams that don’t carry the strictly Varsity and JV sports tags, meaning students of any skill level couldplay.

With more opportunity for students to play, this allows newer athletes to improve at their own pace, decreasing the pressure on them and allowing for sports to be what they were made to be: fun.

Sports also are a catalyst for camaraderie because they are a great way to get to know people. Even if it isn’t a varsity sport, fun, fitness, and fellowship are direct results from sports. Just these aspects alone prove why sports are a great thing for students to do. Even if it was only for a few hours a day, the lasting impact of sports are far greater than many students realize.

Having all students playing a sport would also be beneficial for WCA as a whole, because it would widen Westminster’s sports reach, as well as open up opportunities for more sports. In a high school culture that places heavy emphasis on athletics and sporting events, increasing the amount of athletes is great idea.

Sure, it would be a challenge and a change, but I think the positives outweigh the negatives.