High school sports is a way for students to challenge themselves, both during the game and in school. For the past eight years, Centennial has had a rule in which if a student athlete has failed two of their classes they were ineligible to play, even if they were on the right track to graduate. However, for the upcoming sports seasons from now on, a new policy has been implemented that has changed these requirements.

The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) has maintained a rule where all student athletes had to be passing five classes to be able to play and were meeting satisfactory progress towards graduation. In order to adapt to that rule, CHS athletes are required to pass only five classes, not six.

If athletes don’t meet these requirements during their seasons, they have to do a mandatory academic probation study hall every Wednesday morning from 7:45 to 8:30. The list of students is currently growing, and as of right now five people have benefited from study hall. In addition, they cannot play if they’re failing more than one class. The overall goal is to promote a positive work ethic among all CHS athletes and to push them to take care of business in the classroom.

Athletic Director Brent Child said that a mandatory late start study hall has been a motivator for some athletes to put a larger effort in their grades, “I can tell you from experience; there’s a direct correlation between the effort you get in the classroom, and the effort you get on the hardwood or on the field. That’s my observation through years of being a head coach and then sitting in this chair. Of course you’re here for the education first, because that’s what’s going to set up your future.”