BASKETBALL SEASON IN JUNIOR HIGH

Part of a series of stories I wrote while living in Wisconsin in the 80s
 

My oldest child entered seventh grade this year, and our first year of Junior High School has been an exercise in problem solving.  Take, for instance, basketball season.

My daughter and the rest of the seventh grade cheerleaders have been wearing their mini skirt cheerleading uniforms to the bus stop in sub zero weather.  They say they have to wear their uniforms on the days the 7^th grade boys have a ball game.  Something about school spirit, they claim.

One seventh grader astutely declared that she thought the boys should have to wear their basketball shorts on game days.  Wouldn’t that be fair?  The boys could shiver and turn blue, just like the girls.  And the girls could whistle at the boys’ legs in the hall. 

I saw some older and obviously wiser cheerleaders wearing sweat pants under their mini skirts last week.  I almost suggested that to my daughter.  But this is the last week of basketball season anyway, and why start an argument with an adolescent?  There’s no future in it!

So I ended basketball season in zip-lipped relief. All of us parents of cheerleaders and basketball players will again find our children practicing their music lessons, getting to bed on time, and possibly even doing their homework.  Grades will improve and moms’ and dads’ dispositions will smooth out.  Until the next junior high problem hits.  Wonder what it will be?