The impact of an Ohio school district's decision to cut sports

This is an interesting piece from Sports Illustrated on the impact on one town when it eliminated high school sports:

GROVE CITY, Ohio -- That first Friday at Grove City High was so quiet. Any other school year, the school's nationally acclaimed band would have ended the day by marching through the halls blasting the fight song. Any other school year, more than 11,000 would have gathered later that evening at the stadium behind the school to watch the Greyhounds -- better known as the Dawgs -- open their season. Any other school year, Friday would have meant something.

On Aug. 28, football players didn't come to school in their jerseys. Cheerleaders didn't wear their uniforms. The band didn't march, and the team didn't play. Exactly one hour after the final bell rang, the doors were locked. "Every day feels like a Tuesday," said Mike Mayers, the senior who thought he would start at quarterback this season. "Fridays are the days that everybody realizes things aren't the same."

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/andy_staples/09/16/nosports/index.html?eref=shareDigg#ixzz0Rlas7gGN