<p>I have seen schools letter nonsport ECs. One of my kids’s schools presented letters for drama, chess (really is a sport). I have seen band members lettered, as well as drill team, pep squad. But many of the other activities have other ways of honoring or recognizing the stand outs in the field and go that way. A tradition, I suppose. For instance, the performing arts at S’s high school has a TriM recognition ceremony for those in the pa’s, and the kids get a pin, certificate and a flower. </p>
<p>Even among the sports, there are different awards. The awards banquet and amenities for S’s football team far outstripped the other sports because the parents associated with that sport did a lot more. One sports team actually got identical school rings the year they won the division championship. Our drama club ordered pins and celebrated when their play won honors among highschool performances. Some schools allow anyone to buy and wear a letter jacket, whereas others tend to reserve it for a specific team or teams or all sports teams, or specific activities. It really depends upon the traditions of the school.</p>
<p>Back when I was in HS in the mid 70s, I was allowed to make the case before the school board that the debate team should receive some kind on letter, as we competed equally as hard as the sports team (I was also on the tennis team.) They agreed with me and varisty debate team members were presented with a script style letter, to distinguish from the block style letter for the athletes. This letter was proudly displayed on my women’s letter jacket, next to the one for the tennis team.</p>
<p>There are vast differences in how sports teams are administered in HSs. The huge public my kids would have attended had we not moved has excellent teams, many go to state championships, etc. They have Freshman, JV, Varsity. </p>
<p>A gifted freshman or sophmore may be on varsity usually a player who has been playing for years at a high level. Sometimes a kid who makes the varsity team in grade 11 may not make it again in grade 12, depends on the competition. </p>
<p>Their teams are very good, but the coaches expect year round commitments for varsity players, practices, PE periods, etc. Many talented athletes from middle school had to choose music vs sport, which sport, etc. The community was pretty competitive, many people red shirted their kids in kindergarten, holding them back a year to gain an athletic advantage- of course several of those kids are playing college and even pro sports, so it worked;)</p>
<p>At the much smaller school DD attended, their was complete school support allowing one to be a three sport athlete plus do arts, plus though the school was small and any one sport was not usually a year round commitment, DD went to state champs in 2 of 3 sports and won in one of them, so the quality was there. That school, in their key sports had both varsity and JV A/B and even C/D teams so that kids who liked a popular sport like volleyball could still play and have fun, at their level. It was great in my opinion compared to the other schools cut policy</p>
<p>Yes, our area gives letters for nonsports- a good thing. Good to let other kids get the recognition athletes do, great if it dilutes the power of sports. Son has letters from sports and music and ? his academic activities in a box. Also adding girls equally to sports has decreased the importance of the male athletes of my era.</p>
<p>Different sports have diferent ways of doing things- some let everyone participate as a freshman (think hordes of would be football players) then up the ante with JV and V tryouts. Others have V with all others wanting to participate on JV (crosscountry- the one sport I know of where everyone does the same thing- run the same distance on the same course on the same day- regardless of their V or JV standing- runners can change V/JV status based on their meet performance from week to week).</p>
<p>Our school does not do letters per se, but they award special wearable recognition to athletes, artists, and academicly successful people. In sports it is not even just playing time, but a combo of aptitude, achievement, and attitude</p>
<p>Adding to the confusion, if DadII lives in CA, he may be referring to high school athletics divisions, which are categorized by the size of the 10-12 student body, and are called Division I, II, III, IV,etc.</p>