By Judah Goldemberg
On Sunday October 13th, the White Plains High School girls varsity tennis team traveled to Harrison High School for the individual Section 1 Championship. Coming off a 15-1 regular season, the Tigers had high hopes for their players. Yet, when watching the individual matches, it was clear one key piece was missing.
Lily Dematas won all 11 regular season matches that she finished. She didn’t just win, though; she dominated, easily earning her the Number 1 seed in the Section Championship. Many even favored her to win the State Championship.
However, Lily’s worst enemy this season was not an opponent. In fact, it was not even on the tennis court: it was her PE Class. Because she was homeschooled prior to this year, Dematas must take four gym classes her senior year in order to graduate. During a football game in her Team Sports class, a classmate threw her the ball, and it hit her hand at an awkward angle. After seeing the doctor, she found out she broke her pinky finger and would miss the rest of the tennis season. It was a devastating blow for Lily and the entire team. A chance to win the section and maybe even the state championship was scrapped because of a gym class induced injury.
The stated goal of the White Plains High School Physical Education and Health Department is to contribute “to the development of the individual through physical activity and human movement” and “to develop lifelong participants in physical activity, health, and wellness.” In essence, the purpose of this standard is effective. It promotes physical well-being by developing skills, both mental and physical, that keep students in healthy shape. With child obesity rates continuing to rise in the United States, it is more important than ever to foster healthy values, especially in schools. But should this same standard be applied to students who already spend hours engaging in physical activity and human movement for their varsity sports?
The average varsity sports team at White Plains practices six days a week, and sometimes up to four hours a day. That does not count games that often take place twice a week. Some teams, like varsity boys’ and girls’ basketball, practice throughout the offseason, including long workouts throughout the middle of the hot summer.
Michael Borella, a senior forward on the boys’ basketball team, attributes his physical wellbeing to these practices. “Offseason workouts play a big impact in my skill development, but also my physical health,” said Borella, a second year varsity player. “I am definitely in above average shape.”
This year, the girls tennis team created a nutritional plan. They are already conscious of their health and physical goals. Clearly, it led them to success too.
At White Plains, varsity athletes maintain a high standard of physical excellence, one that compares with that of Division I collegiate athletes. It is unreasonable to require them to participate in baseline level exercise. Beyond that, when there is risk for injury in physical education classes, it can jeopardize an athlete’s entire season.
In the case of Lily Dematas, this nightmare is her reality. A disappointing way for a star-studded season to end.
“It was unfortunate,” Dematas said. “Ending my first year here and my first season here.”
Lily, a highly touted 4-star tennis recruit, recently committed to play Division I tennis at Niagra University. This marks a huge accomplishment for the senior.
“The focus moves to college,” she said. “[Now], I’m focusing on college, but I feel bad for my team.”
Dematas agrees that the high school needs some type of change surrounding this issue.
“There should be a limit to gym class if you’re a varsity athlete in high school,” she said.
Other schools, Scarsdale High School and Eastchester High School among them, have adopted a policy to combat this issue. Varsity athletes at Scarsdale are exempt from gym class for one quarter per sport they play. Why can’t White Plains be next?
Ava Galligani is another senior who is playing a Division I sport next year. Her dad, Coach Marcel Galligani, is gym teacher here at White Plains High School, and he used to coach varsity boys baseball. Ava committed to the University of South Florida to play softball, and she has played varsity softball since she was in middle school. Yet, she disagrees with the sentiment that varsity athletes should be exempt from PE class.
“Varsity athletes should have to participate in gym class during the season,” the star athlete said. “It’s important to keep the athlete’s body active prior to performing in practices or games [in order to] maintain their physical fitness.”
Ava makes the point that gym class is infrequent and relatively low intensity exercise.
“Gym class is not an everyday occurrence,” Galligani said. “It will give [the athlete’s] body enough time to rest before performing in their sport.”
Coach Marcel Galligani agrees with his daughter. As a gym teacher, he likes the dynamic that varsity athletes bring to his classes.
“They invigorate and motivate the class overall,” he said.
He also thinks that gym class provides an added benefit for athletes.
“PE class offers a variety of activities, thus helping athletes develop a wide range of motor skills and fitness capabilities,” Galligani said. “This helps them prevent overuse and risk of injury.”
Unfortunately in Lily Dematas’ case, it caused her injury.
In a school of nearly 2,500 students, questions about the feasibility of exempting varsity athletes from their gym class tend to arise. With significantly more varsity athletes (and students) than schools like Scarsdale and Eastchester, it would be difficult to implement such a program. However, as a White Plains community that values the health and success of our athletes, the high school must take the proper steps to protect our athletes, even if it requires a lot of added work.
And athletes who enjoy gym class should have the option to opt in or out. Regardless, the most physically fit students in the school should not have to participate in baseline exercise during their respective seasons. Implementing this policy would prevent players like Lily Dematas from experiencing brutal and emotionally challenging injuries.
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