UPDATED: Framingham High To Eliminate Letter Night

Originally published at 5:30 a.m. Updated with additional statement from Interim Athletic Director at 2:30 p.m. Updated again at 3:30 p.m. with details on the spring athletic awards night from the interim athletic director.

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Framingham High’s interim athletic director has decided to eliminate letter night for students on varsity sports, a tradition in town for the last decade.

Instead, interim Athletic Director Ron Sudmyer said the high school will hold one athletic night in the spring, instead of holding a fall, winter, and spring letter night.

Sudmyer said most athletic teams are already holding an end-of-the-season banquet, and letters can be awarded at those banquets.

He said he surveyed the coaches, and most felt the additional night was not necessary.

Editor’s Note: Not all athletes who make the cut for a varsity sports team, automatically receive a varsity letter. Some teams require a certain number of points, attend a number of meets, or play a certain amount of time to qualify for a varsity letter. For example, football players on the varsity team must play a minimum of 10 quarters to receive a varsity letter.

“We are not eliminating letter night, just going from one a season to one a year,” said Sudmyer.

Sudmyer issued this statement this afternoon on letter night:

“After extensive discussions with Framingham High School staff members, head varsity coaches, and student athletes, the decision has been made to forgo Varsity Letter nights. The consensus was that our letter winners could be recognized in more intimate and meaningful ways. Each varsity team has an end-of-season banquet where student athletes are recognized by the people who have firsthand knowledge of their contributions and accomplishments. An additional awards night after the season would be redundant and overly taxing on people’s time and energy. Another consideration regarding Varsity Letter night is that families and athletes recognized early in the evening often leave before the conclusion of the program. Consequently, those recognized at the end of the event have a very limited audience,” wrote Sudmyer in an email to Framingham Patch.

“Going forward, letter certificates and pins will be distributed to our student athletes through their head coaches, once the Athletic Office has been notified of all varsity letter recipients for the season. We intend to acknowledge these student/athletes by publishing their names through various media outlets including The (Framingham) Patch, Flyer News and the MetroWest Community Newspaper,” wrote Sudmyer.

Many sports teams also present MVP and sportsmanship awards at letter night. Those awards can be given at the end of the season at the banquet, said Sudmyer, but also we can honor those athletes at the spring event.

Although most sports teams hold an end-of-the-season banquet, not all do; and some athletes have to pay to attend their banquet.

The athletic awards night, tentatively scheduled for May or June, would be a ”night to recognize the MVP’s of our teams, scholarship winners, Flyer of the Year. etc,” said Sudmyer.

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Most Framingham High fall sports team have ended their season.

The Framingham High swim & dive team will compete in the state’s sectional meet on Saturday and in the state meet on Nov. 21. The Flyers recently won their 12th consecutive Bay State Conference title, under head coach Mike Foley.

Several individual athletes on fall sports teams, also are still participating in post-season competition.

The Framingham High football team, 2-7 on the season, has an away game tonight at Milford, and their annual Thanksgiving game. This year, it is in Natick.

Today is the final day to register to try-out for a winter sports team at Framingham High. Any student who wants to participate on a girls, boys, or coe-ed winter sports team must register online today, Nov. 13. The cost to play a sport is $225 per athlete. The winter sports season starts Nov. 30.

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Do you agree with the decision to hold just one letter night a year, compared to one per season?

Post your thoughts below.