LETTER: Grandfather clause gets support from Suring alum

To the editor:

I emailed a letter to Suring School Board President David Lally requesting that the board take action to approve a grandfather clause recommended by the WIAA and endorsed by Dr. John Rabe. This clause would allow my son, Trent, to finish his athletic career as a dual sport athlete.

Rabe has been involved in Suring athletics for over 75 years. Rabe is a former athletic director at Suring and is the second inductee into its Student Hall of Fame. He is a former professor of health, physical education, recreation and coaching at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Rabe feels that once athletes were able to start an activity, they should be allowed to finish what they have started. If this was a pilot program, the athletes should be able to complete if they follow guidelines and have the desire to finish.

I’m asking the school board to take wise counsel of a loyal Suring Eagle and the grandfather clause recommended by the WIAA.

I ask how many people have had something taken away from you based on nothing you have done and how did it make you feel? People, believe it or not, have called me selfish for wanting my son to be able to be the best he can be.

The current superintendent at Suring Public School told me by phone in March that if Trent was younger he would have recommended for Trent to open enroll to a district that allowed for dual sports. Believe it or not, people have suggested this option for years, but Trent is loyal to his school and would never open enroll. Also, I have no desire to run my kid all around for something he can do in my own district.

Mike Van Den Elzen, Suring