With the immense cultural influence the athletic program has on the school climate, Director of Athletics Rich Reed is striving to close the gap between athletics and academics. The enforcement of a new athletic lateness policy is the most recent and substantial initiative to enhance this collaboration.

Last year, 1,300 students participated in athletics, approximately 325 being seniors. Of those 325, only three signed to play a Division 1 sport in college. Meaning, sports will not be a part of hundreds of high school student-athletes endeavors in the future.

Being on time, according to Reed, is a high school habit that can translate to success in both college and the real world.

“My biggest goal is for you guys to graduate a four year institution, regardless of athletics. And, I think these are the habits that condition our student body,” Reed said.

With that being said, the new policy at hand essentially suspends the athlete for the day that he/she was inexcusably late. A list of all tardy and absent students are sent to each coaching staff, and it is on them to determine if any of their players are on the list, and therefore cannot participate in practice or a game on that day.

This push is a part of a series of actions that Reed has been developing in order to bridge the gap between athletics and academics. Reed has acknowledged that one of the Athletic department’s pressing goals is to construct habits for success, noting that these mannerisms will translate into all aspects of student’s lives.

In the first months of school, tardiness has been down about 50 percent from this time last year, according to social studies teacher Phil Bressler.

“An athlete I had last year for homeroom compared to this year for homeroom has gone from being late almost every morning to zero times! This policy has completely reshaped behavior in the classroom, especially for athletes,” business teacher Jamie Bare said.