Over the last several years there’s been a change for MIssouri sports.
The most recent offering to the state sanctioned events is spring Boys Volleyball. While Boys Volleyball will have its first state championship this spring in St. Louis there could be more on the horizon.
Count me in as a supporter of all new sports and activities.
According to the MSHSAA website there’s nine other sports and activities listed as “Emerging.”
Those include Water Polo, Bass Fishing, FIeld Hockey, Girls Lacrosse, Target Shooting, Bowling, eSports, Chess and Stunt (Cheerleading).
Read through that list again. Now aside from your random 50 something MIssourian man who likes Bass Fishing, Bowling and Target Shooting all while pounding a couple cold ones, this list to me highlights a wide swath of potential students who could find a new activity to be involved with.
Not every student is made to play football or basketball. By offering up these other sports and activities you provide so many more students a chance to compete and in my opinion the most important part of high school athletics, the chance to be on a team and to participate for those other than yourself.
My guess is the next sport you’ll see added to the list of emerging sports and activities and GIrls Flag Football.
Already the North Kansas City School district has it as a sport, last week Raymore-Peculiar announced it would be adding it as well and I’d go as far as to predict many of the other Suburban Conference schools will as well.
Will flag football ever have the luster of a Friday night football game? Maybe not. But I’ll head out to a game or two to see what it's all about.