Grades do count

Editor,

Student-athletes story: As a parent and coach at a local high school, I know exactly what the story “Making the Grade” is all about, first hand.

My daughter Melissa Rodriguez was a 2006 graduate and student-athlete from Granite Hills High School. She received a full-ride scholarship to Cal Baptist University to play softball for Lady Lancers. Her official included a visit to the university and a seven-hour tour of the campus, lunch and meeting many people who will be apart of the university who would be involved in her academic career if she is offered a scholarship.

We met with the head coach Mike Smith and assistant coach Bill Baber in the softball athletic office after the tour to discuss her possibilities of coming to their school The first thing coach Smith told her in the meeting was, “Melissa we have seen you play several tournaments during the summer and we like what we see, but what sold us on your abilities was what you did in the classroom. If you would have had a GPA lower than 3.5 we would not have been interested. Her 4.0 GPA was the kicker.”

Good grades plays a substantial role in the recruiting process for student athletes to compete at the next level. Also, playing summer travel ball at the highest level since you were 10 helps too.

My advice to any parent of a student-athlete is take care of business in the classroom and  if you have the talent on the court or field it will all fall into place. Just remember, there are thousands of others who are also competing for those same spots, as coachs Kristi Lansford and Zack Grazmick stated. They receive many emails and can’t accommodate all of them.

They have to choose those who have the desire to succeed in the classroom and on the field.

Proud coach and father now grandfather of one of those student-athletes who made the grade.

Frank P. Rodriguez
Porterville