Recently, the Iowa House voted and passed a bill that will allow eighth graders in Iowa to participate in all high school varsity athletics. Thirteen other states have already enacted similar bills, and the follow through for Iowa would make the state the fourteenth.
Representative Skyler Wheeler is the sponsor of the bill and believes it would be beneficial for a variety of reasons. Among them, he highlights the fact that many Iowa high schools didn’t have enough athletes to field a girls’ basketball team this season.
Because Iowa already allows eighth graders to participate in high school softball and baseball, Wheeler believes permitting these younger athletes in all sports will heighten roster numbers. The issue lies in the fact that eighth graders are only allowed to participate in softball and baseball, as Iowa is the only state in the country with summer softball and baseball, versus most states which play the sports in the spring.
The issue is that the skill level of eighth graders is typically not near the caliber varsity athletics demands. It is a rarity for softball or baseball teams to have eighth graders on their varsity roster, not to mention have those athletes see serious playing time. In sports like football, volleyball or basketball, all sports with an important size element, the number of eighth graders who would be capable of competing at the varsity level would be slim to none. “I do not think it makes sense to allow eighth graders to play varsity athletics considering there would be a five year age gap between them and seniors. Eighth graders need that extra year to develop physically so they can even somewhat contend with upper classmen,” junior volleyball player Isabelle Kramer said.
Furthermore, if schools opt to add eighth graders who may not truly be at the varsity level just to field a full team, the quality of competition across the state will decrease. “Most eighth graders are not physically nor mentally developed as much as the high schoolers they would be competing with and against. It would be a rare occurrence for an eighth grader to be competing over juniors and seniors, so to me it doesn’t make sense to allow them to compete at the varsity level as they would not positively impact the level of play,” said junior and varsity softball player Jayla Bischoff.
Wheeler’s other line of reasoning in support of the bill is his belief that earlier participation in high school athletics will foster a sense of involvement that will lead to continued investment over these athletes’ high school careers.
Granted, some athletes who have experienced the extra eighth grade year actually attest to this time making it harder, not easier, to continue playing throughout high school. “Being a varsity athlete, there are times I’m very stressed about getting everything done that I need to. The student athlete life isn’t for everybody, and that’s okay. To me it’s about finding a balance and staying motivated to keep going even when it’s difficult. Finding this balance can be a challenge, and may be difficult for eighth graders to understand and adapt to,” said Bischoff.
The bill was passed by the house at a 89-2 majority and will now proceed to the Senate for consideration. Neither the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union nor the Iowa High School Athletic Association have weighed in on the situation. Ultimately, the bill may never see any real impact, but if it does, it threatens the competitive nature of Iowa high school athletics.
