We, the undersigned, students of grades 9 to 12 of the Mackenzie Community School, support the registration of two soccer teams, one for Juniors grades 9-10 and another for Seniors grades 11-12, to represent our school in the inter-school soccer league, instead of just one varsity team of grades 9-12, as proposed by the school. We take very high interest in this matter, as this signed petition demonstrates.

At the present time, we are unaware of the school's reasons for selecting one team instead of two. If a lack of available school personnel to coach the team is a problem, then there are several external highly skilled soccer coaches in Deep River that are willing to assist with the Juniors team. These qualified coaches can help so that the involvement of the school teacher in charge with the team can be reduced to a desired level. Furthermore, external coaching assistance is regular practice at our school, as was the case with other sport teams.

If, on the other hand, the school had financial difficulties to support two teams, we would be willing to run a fundraising campaign to raise the necessary funds to enroll a Juniors team, aside of a Seniors one.

We strongly believe that us, the students of grades 9-12, are of outstanding value in the sport of soccer in the Upper Ottawa Valley. Our belief is supported by the fact that we have been regularly winning the Valley United Soccer League championships in the past 5 years. We would be very proud to represent our school in the EOSSAA competition, and we feel very strongly that we can assemble two very competitive teams that can make our school known among the Eastern Ontario schools.

Many of us, the students of grades 9 and 10, are very interested in joining the school team. However, it will be very difficult, and even unsafe, for us to physically match players in grade 12 of opposing teams if a single varsity team was to be elected to represent our school. We therefore urge the school to assemble a separate Juniors team that can match other juniors teams in the school soccer competition.

Other team sports in our school are granted two teams (Juniors and Seniors) to represent the school in the inter-school competitions, and so we would find it fair for the school to support two soccer teams as well.

We believe that physical education is very beneficial for our development, health and general well being. Assembling two soccer teams instead of just one would give a chance to more students, especially of grades 9 and 10, to be involved in these physical activities.

If reasons exist for the decision makers to select only one team instead of two, we would like to be cognizant of such reasons. We would like the decision makers to explain to us why registering one team is better than two teams. This way, maybe we can work towards finding a resolution to this dissension. Or, if a resolution could not ultimately be found, we would at least learn the lessons and be better prepared in the future to avoid such situations that run deeply against our strong personal beliefs.