Hillsborough County’s Armwood High School has the state’s number-one ranked 4A football team. The program is solid, the talent level obvious and the work ethic of coaches and players self-evident. The result could be a long-awaited state championship.
As for the future, it was interesting to note what Armwood’s “Programs of Interest” would be. Starting next year, Armwood will offer (along with “American Sign Language”) “Olympic Sports.” It’s designed for students “who plan to go to college and major in physical education, physical therapy recreation or a related field, or who plan to pursue amateur Olympic/collegiate and/or professional athletic careers.”
Hmm. Is that an athletic loophole the size of which the next Booger McFarland could barrel through? Might there be some speedy wideouts and studly lineman in such a mix? Could this further arm Armwood?
Not likely, says Armwood Athletic Director Dan Pickern. Students interested in sports journalism, physical therapy and turf management will be attracted. Athletic sorts will be in selected Olympic sports — such as softball, wrestling, volleyball and track and field.
“There’s really no correlation,” explains Pickern. “Football is not an Olympic sport.”
So that’s that — unless, of course, a budding track star or hulking shot putter decides to look at another varsity sport