Life's Rules Teach Tough Lessons
Some times, unfortunate things happen to innocent people.
Such was the case of the 13 girls who were members of the Argos High School softball team. In a matter of 30 seconds, the appointed school board ended their season, and possibly the future of girls� softball in Argos.
It is true this team has no field to call its own. The town field on which they played their home games was demolished last year to make way for a new maintenance/office building. But these girls were willing to play all of their 28 games, some that would require more than an hour�s bus ride each way, as away games in order to do just that. To play.
The team was well into its fourth week of practice when the ball was taken away from them Monday night. Some of the girls had given up other opportunities to play different sports this spring because they wanted to play softball. There are no seniors on the team so, in essence and unless things in Argos change, a clear message was sent to these girls: There will be no girls� softball in Argos. Ever.
Before you jump me for what may appear to be a callous approach to what was a much bigger issue, I am well aware of the Reduction in Force posting in existence. I understand that there was a definite possibility that eight teachers would lose their jobs and eight support staffers would either be laid off or have a reduction in work hours occur.
I also understand, and agree, that
extracurricular actives are just that, extra.
The main reason we send our children to school and pay our property taxes is to ensure that they are educated. Football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, track, baseball and golf will not teach our children to read, write, add and subtract.
The annual financial report for Argos Community Schools was printed in a legal advertisement in the August 7, 2026 edition of The Pilot News. Quick estimates for the potential RIF list being enforced show the school system could save roughly $320,000 per year. The annual cost of keeping girls softball in place is approximately $7,500.
But then, there�s that nasty situation of the team having no home field to call their own.
To continue to keep girls softball in place, a field would be needed according to page 29 of the Argos Community Schools� athletic handbook. While it may be assumed this would require replacement of the demolished field previously mentioned, there are other options, one of which would be convert one of the two Little League fields in existence to a softball diamond.
There are skills to be learned in sport, activities involved beyond the game: How to be part of a team; what it means to push yourself; how to take constructive criticism; the grace of a good winner ( and an even better loser) � all of these are important.
But again, when stacked against the skills needed to pass those ISTEP tests, they are secondary.
What will remain the sad fact is this: Thirteen teen-age girls were sent the message that the �extra� sport of their choice just wasn�t a valid one. And anytime we do anything to discourage our children from broadening their horizons, we diminish them.
My hope is these 13 girls will find another outlet for their energy.
Five of the girls moved toward another option Tuesday night when they attended the boys� baseball team practice. Also in the Argos Community Schools� handbook on page 28 is verbiage about equal opportunity. It states priority will be given to those sports that best equalize the opportunities for boys AND girls.
These five brave girls may have accomplished a pretty big feat that night.
They may have single-handedly saved the boys� baseball program!
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