Abstract
On any given day of the week, hundreds of thousands of high school students can be found training for or competing in any number of interscholastic sports. For many teenagers, interscholastic sports are a crucial component of the high school experience. Among other benefits, participation in sports provides a welcome break from academic stress and offers an outlet for students to interact and socialize with schoolmates outside of the classroom. Participation in interscholastic sports also provides an opportunity for students to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle while also providing a structured environment for students to learn such values as teamwork and cooperation, healthy competition, self-discipline and responsibility. Because students benefit tremendously from participation in these activities, it is important to protect the ability of students to take part in them.