Teammates, others lobby for UHS lacrosse player Jillian Benn to remain a Hawk
Mar. 4—There is no "I " in team, as your granddad's coach used to love saying, back when the patriarch was a kid suiting up for the game.
In the present day, though, there's also Administrative Guidance No. 2431 from the West Virginia Secondary School Athletics Commission.
And contained therein 2431 is a series of statutes and other benchmark directives that just might keep Jillian Benn from playing on hers.
Jillian is the University High School lacrosse star who no longer attends UHS.
She transferred to Trinity Christian two years ago at the height of the pandemic, because try as she might, she just couldn't make the shift to remote learning required of public districts at the time, as per order of Gov. Jim Justice.
The private, faith-based school in the hills above Sabraton was open for in-person learning, strictly monitored as it was.
Jillian was again thriving in the classroom and she was open to making new friends in her new school.
She didn't want to leave her old ones behind at UHS, though.
And she didn't want to leave lacrosse, either—a sport she discovered she was pretty good at when she started playing at the age of 10.
Trouble is, Trinity does not field a team in that sport.
What's a lacrosse player to do ?
Ask permission, and, in this case, get it granted by school district.
Athletics, UHS.
Academics and everything else, Trinity.
Which was fine—until two weeks ago when 2431 began crossing the desks of athletic directors in the state's 55 public school districts.
Last week, with five days before the start of girls' lacrosse season in the state, Jillian was informed, as per the WVASSC and the newly issued guidance, that she could no longer enjoy the dual experience between the two schools.
That's why all those people turned out for the meeting this past Tuesday of Mon's BOE.
Her parents, her teammates and others all asked the BOE to grandfather the sophomore in, so she could finish her high school lacrosse career as a UHS Hawk.
While the BOE couldn't respond directly or make a decision that evening, President Ron Lytle said Friday the board and the district can only go with what comes down from the WVSSAC, in the matter of transfers and athletics.
"Right now, it looks like the policy is going to be the policy, " he said.
"As a school system, we have to stick with that."
Meanwhile, Matthew Chavez, Trinity's superintendent, was in appearance Tuesday night to lobby for his student.
So was Elaina Oxley, her lacrosse teammate and old friend from UHS who got into the sport because she was into the sport.
It pained her, she said when it was her turn to talk, to see her friend watching practice from the sidelines last week—because that was the only thing she could do.
No "I " in team ? You'd better believe it, Elaina said.
"You're punishing an entire team that loves her and supports her throughout everything, " she told the BOE.
"At the end of the day, this is so much more than just allowing a kid to play a sport. It's allowing them to create lasting memories for their lifetime."
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