Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
SAN JON — The San Jon Municipal School board voted to add wrestling to its list of sports offerings this fall but balked at adding esports until it learned more about it.
The board during its meeting on May 24 had the approval of wrestling and esports in the 2022-2023 school year on its agenda but tabled the latter after several board members, especially Brian Watson, expressed concerns about the effects of the activity on children.
Superintendent Janet Gladu several weeks ago quizzed San Jon children about their interest in a variety of sports and classes. Seven boys and 12 girls expressed interest in wrestling. Participation in girls wrestling has grown exponentially in New Mexico in the last few years.
Board member Cynthia Lee’s only concern about wrestling was whether the sport actually would come to fruition at San Jon.
“I don’t want to get their hopes up,” Lee said, adding she also didn’t want the board to spend money on equipment that wouldn’t be used.
Gladu said she had a coach in mind for wrestling and voiced confidence he or she would lead the program.
Board member Jeremy Wade Allen voiced support for wrestling.
“If it draws kids here, it can be a good thing,” he said.
San Jon’s closest opponents in wrestling would be Tucumcari and Clovis, not counting nearby Texas school districts that offer the sport.
After adding wrestling, the board approved an amended increment salary schedule for the district’s coaches.
The board tabled action on adding esports (short for electronic sports) until they learned more about the program.
More than 2,000 schools in the U.S. and Canada offer esports, which is the competitive playing of online video games.
Mesalands Community College is playing esports this fall and last week held a signing ceremony for several students who committed to the Stampede’s fledgling program.
Though a significant number of San Jon students expressed interest in esports in Gladu’s survey, Watson said he wants he hear more from parents before approving it.
Watson noted two of the three most popular video games — League of Legends and Rocket League — are approved by the New Mexico Activities Association for esports.
Watson cited a Journal of the American Medical Association study of video games rated T (for teens) where 94% of those games received content descriptors for violence, 26% for blood, 15% for sexual themes and 14% for profanity.
An online search for the study shows it was published in 2004.
“I want to know what we’re opening ourselves up to,” he said of esports at San Jon.
Lee also said she wanted more input from parents about esports. She questioned how one would coach or monitor an esports team.
Allen pointed out that a Grady student recently received a scholarship for esports. San Jon offering it “might open us for opportunities here.”
Board President Frank Gibson admitted he didn’t have much knowledge about esports and concurred with Watson and Lee’s stances that more information was needed.
“I have no problem with community input,” he said. “I wish we had more of it.”