By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Forrest City Mustang basketball coach Dwight Lofton is siding with most of the state's coaches when it comes to questions regarding the demise of the Supplemental Instruction Program or SIP.
On Monday, the Arkansas Board of Education voted 5-1 to do away with the five-year-old remedial program, which has kept hundreds of athletes eligible and allowed students with grade point averages below a 2.0 to participate in extracurricular activities provided they attend study sessions.
The program had been in place at Forrest City High School for three years, and Lofton had at least two former Mustang players who were participants in the program.
While coaching at North Little Rock, prior to coming to Forrest City, Lofton said the district had a similar plan in place called the Academic Improvement Plan.
"Both programs were very beneficial and served the school districts well," Lofton said. "Now that the state has taken the program away, I fall right in line with Al Flanigan, Barry Lunney and Victor Joyner. Almost everyone is very upset over the decision because the program has helped save literally hundreds of student athletes who were dangling on the edge with their grade points."
The final vote on the measure will come in July. A 30-day public comment period is now in effect and will run through June 13.
Many coaches, including Lofton are hoping the Board will change its mind.
In the Board votes in July to take away the program, it could end as early as the 2002-03 spring semester.
"I don't see why an athlete should be placed on a higher standard than the average student just because he or she is an athlete," Lofton said. "I want everyone to graduate. Maybe the Board needs to raise the graduation GPA requirement from a 1.0 to match the required 2.0 for athletes."
Lady Mustang Coach Sue Jayroe has a little different take on the situation.
"Doing away with the program shouldn't affect any of my girls who will be coming back to the team next season," Jayroe said. "It could affect some of the junior high kids in the basketball program, but most of my girls have been honor roll students, and I have monitored their classroom progress very carefully.
"I don't think athletes and average students should be separated. Both should have to have the 2.0. The student should come first. Everyone can be a student. Not all can be athletes. That is a privilege. I expect more from my girls than just knowing how to dribble, pass or shoot a basketball. I hold them to a higher standard, especially in the classroom."
The SIP was in place in more than half of the state's 310 school districts and affected about 1,200 students in athletics, band, cheerleading, drama and other extracurricular activities.
If the program is discontinued, more than 800 students of 1,200 would be ineligible in the fall.
The Department of Education has no available data which shows whether or not the program has been a success or a failure.
But at Forrest City, the program has shown favorable results.
"During the 2000-01 school year, we had 12 kids in the program at the senior high level," said John Burgess, assistant athletic director and former coach. "Nine of those kids brought their GP levels up. We had about the same number of kids in the program this year."
Burgess said when it comes to being a proponent or opponent of the 2.0 GPA rule, he says his feelings are mixed.
"Yes and no," Burgess said. "It's very easy to determine eligibility when you have to have a 2.0, but I'm not sure I agree with the 2.0 GPA rule for athletes. There are some kids who just cannot make a C. Without the SIP in place, they can't play."
Former Forrest City Athletic Director and coach Bill Baxter said ending the program will probably be harder on some schools than on others.
"I am definitely in favor of the SIP," Baxter said. "I remember when the Little Rock School District adopted the 2.0 GPA across the board several years ago and the move crippled athletic programs in the district. Numbers of athletes in almost every sport dropped and the district almost never recovered."
Michael Bender, Forrest City's new athletic director, said he hasn't read much about this week's decision but is a proponent of the SIP.
"I would certainly hope that come July, the Board will reconsider during the final vote to keep the program," Bender said. "Basically, we are in the business of education and we need programs like this one in the schools. It is important for the school districts and it is important for the students and athletes alike."
Flanigan, the Little Rock Parkview boys' basketball coach, said earlier this week, "if it wasn't for the SIP, he would not have a championship ring."
Flanigan's Patriots won the Class AAAAA state title in March and will be one of the eight teams participating in the 2002 Rumble on the Ridge Thanksgiving tournament to be played at Mustang Arena.
The Palestine-Wheatley School District has had the SIP plan in operation in the past but has since quit using the program, according to Superintendent Jimmy Allen.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City American Legion baseball team is winding down preseason practice sessions.
The program is scheduled to open its 2002 season on Sunday, May 19, when the 'A' squad hosts Lonoke for a doubleheader, beginning at 2 p.m., at the Sports Complex.
The Forrest City team will be coached this season by Darrell Gaskin, who takes over for Jason Long, who is now coaching the younger of the two Paragould Legion teams.
The Forrest City team will play its first five dates at home to open the 60-plus game season.
"It's an ambitious schedule," Gaskin said recently. "It will take a major commitment by the players and the parents and fans who support the program."
Gaskin has 28 roster players making up both the A and AAA squads.
"We started with 30 and lost a couple, but I think we're holding our own right now. We have some good kids who have been working hard."
Arkansas Razorback basketball coach Stan Heath will be the featured speaker at the East Central Arkansas Razorback Club Razorback Rally, Wednesday, May 22, at the Forrest City Civic Center.
Tickets for the annual rally are available now at area merchants and are $20 for adults and $10 for children 12-under.
The evening begins at 6 p.m. with the social hour and dinner will be served at 7 p.m.
There will be a live and a silent auction at the rally and numerous door prizes given away during the evening.
* CITY LEAGUES
YOUTH BASEBALL
Minor League (Pitching Machine)
Tuesday's Scores
Joey's Muffler 14, M&T Paving 3
Devazier 23, FC LIons Club 13
Thursday, May 16
T&J Properties vs Easley Law, 6 p.m. F7
Ben's Auto vs Dr. Beasley, 7:30 p.m. F7
Bambino League (11-12)
Thursday, May 16
Bonanza vs Taylor Glass, 6 p.m. F5
Ray Houser vs L&L Electric, 6 p.m. F6
Cochran Auto vs Vaccaro, 7:30 p.m. F5
Pearson Ins. vs Taco Bell, 7:30 p.m. F6
Junior Babe Ruth League
Thursday, May 16
Freeman vs Fred's, 6 p.m. F8
Ridout vs Planter's Bank, 7:45 p.m. F8
ADULT SOFTBALL
Men's League
Thursday, May 16
Boar's Head vs Barnes Timber, 7 p.m. F3
Gym 2000 vs Sanyo, 7 p.m. F4
Morgan vs Kerby's, 8 p.m. F3
M&T Paving vs Food Giant, 8 p.m. F4
Greg's vs Bulldogs, 9 p.m. F3
Miller Insurance vs Young Guns, 9 p.m. F4
Women's League
Thursday, May 16
Clark Appraisals vs Purple Haze, 7 p.m. F1
Mohr Sports vs Chism Concrete, 8 p.m., F1