WATERFORD MILLS – Beginning summer 2018, Bethany Christian Schools will be doubling the amount of time athletes have free from organized athletic activities, adding one week to the week already mandated by the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) for all member schools. Bethany’s moratorium week will be June 24-July 1, followed by the IHSAA moratorium week July 2-8.

Bethany athletic director Gary Chupp states that several factors led to the decision including Bethany’s emphasis on helping athletes lead balanced lives that include time not only for sport but also for academics, church and family.

In recent years as the school calendar has incorporated longer breaks throughout the school year and a shorter break during the summer, athletes are finding less time available in the summer to participate in family vacations and youth group trips while still participating in team events. Chupp hopes that adding this extra week free of athletics will make it easier for athletes and their families to make this happen. He says, “All of us need a break from our work, including our coaches and athletes.”

Chupp also feels this will actually help from a competitive standpoint.

“We do athletes a disservice when requiring so many structured events at the expense of allowing time for individual work,” Chupp said. “We send a wrong message that to get better we need to provide more structure, more games with coaches and referees. Sometimes less is more.”

When Chupp first floated this idea during a parent meeting last fall, he received overwhelming positive feedback. He received more than a dozen emails affirming this direction. Parent Conrad Brenneman says, “Great idea. I think something like this sends a message of how Bethany supports other values (such as family) and tries to work that in along with balancing athletics and everything else.”

Chupp points out that the decision is also rooted in Bethany’s counter-cultural athletic philosophy of encouraging athletes to play multiple sports rather than being one-sport athletes. That means athletes may have several coaches/teams desiring their time during the summer, so Chupp does not want to put unrealistic demands on athletes in offseason. Parent Chris Frey concurs, “We feel very strongly that our kids have a break from school over the summer and can enjoy other good things that are available too. Thanks for being bold and leading.”

Chupp feels fortunate that his coaches are all behind him–not only on the extra moratorium week, but on working together to share athletes.