There is a debate at Fraser over whether the district should change the date of its high school graduation.  For many years, graduation has been held the afternoon of the first Saturday in June, which presents a conflict with spring sports tournament dates.

Parents and athletes are petitioning superintendent David Richards to change graduation in hopes that athletes won’t have to choose between commencement and sports.

The conflict has been felt most by track and field athletes. That’s because state finals in their sport are usually held on the west side of the Lower Peninsula, making it impossible to compete and be at commencement on the same day.

But athletes in other spring sports could be affected, depending on how schedules evolve, and people like Paul Gigliotti want athletes and parents aware so they may become involved in the discussion and decision making.

“We need to get parents involved from Soccer, Baseball, Softball and Track,” Gigliotti, a track and soccer parent, wrote early this month in a letter to parents of spring sports athletes. “Most of them aren’t aware of the potential conflict because their sports schedules haven’t had a conflict recently.

“Some parents of underclassmen don’t think they need to get involved now because there will be plenty of time to get the date/time changed,” Gigliotti continued. “Let them know, this has been going on for decades, and people have been trying for decades to get the date/time switched.”

If Fraser continues with the graduation schedule it has used for years, the 2011 ceremony will be held Saturday, June 4.

That also is the date the Michigan High School Athletic Association has set for track and field finals.

State tennis finals will be June 3-4.

District games for baseball, softball and soccer might be held that day, depending on schedules that will be released later in the school year.

Gigliotti and others believe Fraser’s athletes shouldn’t have to choose between graduation and an important part of their sports seasons.

“Last year,” he wrote, “Fraser had 3 Juniors qualify for the state track meet. If they perform at the same level or better in 2011, Fraser will have 3 seniors (qualify) to states and having to choose between the graduation ceremony or having the chance to win a state medal.”

At the root of Fraser’s struggle with setting a graduation date is the “all-night party” that follows commencement.

“The administration thinks no one will volunteer to work the all night party if it is on a Sunday or a weekday,” Gigliotti wrote. “We need to show them that there will be enough volunteers regardless of which day of the week the (all-night party) falls on.”

- George Pohly, Macomb Daily Sports Editor