Students not passing all classes should be ineligible to play high school sports

My opponent claims that, “Starting at the beginning of the next school year, students will instead be taking the "End Of Course exam" or EOC. The reason why? because test scores over-all for the TAKS where awful, students weren't learning anything.”This argument is seriously flawed. According to the article my opponent provided, the TAKS system was replaced simply because more rigorous systems had been developed. The article never stated that student's scores on these tests were “awful”. In fact, TAKS scores have actually improved significantly in most Texas districts (1-3). My opponent then suggested that, “Some subjects simply aren't relevant to every-one; and every walk of life. An actor doesn't need to know quantum physics to know how to convey emotion; an engineer doesn't need to know British literature to understand how to calibrate an engine; a Writer doesn't need Pre-Cal to be able t write a captivating novel.”While this is true, these classes help students develop skills that will be necessary in almost every career. For example, they teach students how to manage their time effectively, prioritize their responsibilities, problem solve, and accomplish tasks that may not be the most enjoyable. Students who are failing classes demonstrate a lack of these essential skills. My opponent also stated that, “People are naturally proud, this is especially true for any-one outgoing enough to actually join a sports team; they're competitive and don't want to be seen as a lesser person. And so of course, they don't want to fail a class, they don't choose to make bad grades.” However, this claim simply is not realistic. Students who are competitive athletically may not necessarily be competitive academically. Athletes tend to receive lots of attention from their peers. Meanwhile, those who succeed academically may be teased and labeled as “nerds”. Anyone who is outgoing enough to join a sports team probably values their social status. Therefore, student athletes may be compelled to place greater emphasis on their sport than on their scholastic performance.My opponent then suggested that student-athletes should not be punished for failing. I would agree with this proposal if and only if these students were genuinely trying their hardest. However, this is not necessarily the case. Studies have demonstrated that academic motivation is one of the most significant factors in determining scholastic performance (4). Thus, I believe that many failing students simply lack the motivation necessary for success. This conclusion is supported by many scholarly research articles. According to Dr. Keller at the University of Maryland, student athletes tend to have better grades during the season(s) in which they play (5). As he noted, this is because students generally lack motivation during the off season. While students are playing sports, they are motivated by their coaches to obtain passing grades. This is especially true for students who are struggling scholastically. Some coaches are placed in an environment where they are under extreme pressure to produce wins on the field or court. Having some athletes academically ineligible can obviously hurt their chances to produce these wins. Thus, coaches pressure their players to pass all of their classes. Student athletes also pressure themselves to improve their grades in order to remain eligible. Thus, it’s obvious that student athletes need motivation to succeed academically. “No Pass No Play” policies can easily provide this needed motivation. As I have noted previously, such policies have led to higher academic performance and increased graduation rates. This further demonstrates that struggling athletes need extrinsic motivation to improve their scholastic performance. Some students simply will not try their hardest in the absence of such policies. I urge everyone to vote pro! References: http://www.kfdm.com... http://www.brenhambanner.com... http://www.houstonisd.org... http://74.125.155.132/scholar?q=cache:0FUR0JWVG2EJ:scholar.google.com/&hl=en&as_sdt=0,16 http://www.umbc.edu...