Sports and Outdoors

 Lake Info

Normal Lake Level is 322.00 feet above Mean Sea Level.
Current level for Cedar Creek Lake is: 322.00
Water Temperature:
62 degrees - top
62 degrees - bottom

SBOE asked to revise athletic credit requirement
Monitor Staff Reports
AUSTIN–The State Board of Education was asked Thursday to consider a rule change enabling high school student athletes to get four years of credit for athletics, the same as allowed for band, choir, theater and other elective courses.
A story by Terrence Stutz posted on the Dallas Morning News website Wednesday outlined the change requested by Brenham High School coach Crag Agnew and backed by the Texas High School Coaches Association, the Texas Girls Coaches Association and the Texas Athletic Directors Association.
In the 2007 Regular Session, the Texas Legislature initiated new graduation requirements, raising the number of credits from 24 to 26.
Of that number, students need four years of math, science, English and social studies – known as the 4x4 core courses – along with electives and other required classes.
Each student is required to have 1½ credits (or years) of physical education, but under the current rule, athletes cannot get more than two years of credit for sports.
“With the impending changes regarding 4x4 and 26 credits to graduate, class period slots will be at a premium,” Agnew was quoted in Stutz’s story. “No room will be available for non-credit classes like athletics during a student’s junior and senior years.
“Student athletes will often not have the opportunity to take athletics as a class period,” Agnew said. “This is discriminatory against athletics and student athletes.
“Common sense says that overall participation numbers will be reduced if this rule is not changed,” Agnew added.
State Board chairman Dr. Don McLeroy of College Station said he supported the rule change and expected a majority of the board also to support the change.
“The argument for counting four years of athletics toward graduation is pretty persuasive now that the state has moved to the new 4x4 graduation requirements,” McLeroy said. “It will be a real stretch for many of these kids to meet all the requirements.”
McLeroy added it had been his experience that most varsity football players are among the best students at any high school.
A study by Coaches Outreach (a nondenominational Bible study organization) found the average teacher/coach comes in contact with more than 22,000 student athletes during his/her career.

District tournament champions


Monitor Photo/Kim Breeze
Members of the Malakoff Brewers gather for a team photo Wednesday after
beating the Kemp Swarm to secure a berth in the Junior Midget (8 and under)
state tournament, which opens Monday, July 28, in Brownwood. A win by the
Malakoff Marlins Thursday clinched the district tournament championship for the Brewers.

MHS sets volleyball camp
Monitor Staff Reports
MABANK–Mabank High School will host a volleyball camp Monday through Thursday, July 28-31.
Cost for the camp, directed by MHS varsity coach Stacy Shelton, is $45.
Incoming seventh- and eighth-graders will practice from 8:30 a.m. to noon, with incoming ninth-graders practicing from 1:30 to 4 p.m.
For more information, contact Shelton at (903) 880-1600, ext. 2060.