Coupeville Sports

Coupeville High School/Middle School Athletic Director Willie Smith. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Anything is possible.

When school sports return, there is a chance 6th graders at Coupeville Middle School will be allowed access to the same athletic opportunities currently afforded to Wolves in 7th and 8th grade.

Maybe.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association passed an amendment Monday which allows 6th graders to participate in all WIAA sports with the exception of football.

Previously, they only had the chance to try cross country and track, which were used as test sports for the idea.

The amendment, one of 18 to be OK’d, received the absolute minimum “yes” votes needed for approval in a 32-21 tally by members of the WIAA’s Representative Assembly.

To be implemented, the plan must be approved at the local level by school officials (principal, superintendent, and school board), while also garnering a thumbs-up from a school’s league and district.

Coupeville High School/Middle School Athletic Director Willie Smith is all for 6th graders hitting the field and court, though he acknowledges there could be issues which prevent the change.

“We would be interested in having our 6th grade participate fully,” he said. “However, our middle school league is a bit all over the map.

“Mostly because some schools don’t have sixth grade on the same campus, and are not 6-8 … so there is no definitive plan as of now.”

While CHS was part of the North Sound Conference the past two years, CMS plays in the Cascade League, which includes South Whidbey, King’s, Granite Falls, Lakewood, Northshore Christian Academy, and Sultan.

With the high school moving down from 1A to 2B for at least the next four years beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, it’s bouncing over to the Northwest 2B/1B League.

CMS is expected to remain in the Cascade League, and currently fields teams in volleyball, boys soccer, cross country, girls and boys basketball, and track.