The Varsity Club met weekly during the last part of 2nd period during the school year. Plaster paired struggling students with high-achieving mentors in different subject areas. Sometimes the group met to focus on topics such as study schools, time management, and the qualities of a top student athlete. Plaster contends, "The same qualities that apply to top athletes on the field and court are the same characteristics that make students excel in the classroom. Hard work, determination, preparation, and mental focus are aspects we want to nurture in all students. If we can successfully tie those traits together in and out of the classroom, we should be able to make a marked impact on our school climate."
Plaster says that part of the battle is remedying negative stereotypes that some people may have of athletes as not being as capable in the classroom. "That's simply not true. I've always said that athletes make the best students, and when they have these qualities, it definitely is true. The best athletes, the stars, are usually the first ones to the ballpark and the last ones to leave. We want our athletes to be stars in the classroom, too." Plaster has coached baseball at the school for the past three years and he says he tries to bring the same focus on fundamentals to his coaching on the field as he does as an English and reading instructor.
Head football coach Kwayu Graham supported the program throughout the year by choosing his players to be mentees and mentors and by assisting Plaster during the meetings. "This program has definitely had an impact on our players this year," he said. The Varsity Club had members from a variety of sports, including baseball, football, basketball, golf, softball, cheerleading, and track. The group boasted as many as 25-30 attendees during some meetings and had to spread out across two classrooms and the media center to accommodate it.
"The aspect that, I think, marks our true success is to see how some of these student athletes worked as hard in their courses as during the last tied-up inning of a game or the last set of tough match," Plaster says. He noted that he could point out at least a handful of students who were struggling in a class or two, but brought their grades up in the final weeks of the semester through extra tutoring, studying, make-up, and doing well on their final exams.
If students met certain grade criteria, they were rewarded by being able to attend the minor league Intimidators game Saturday, June 2nd, for some of whom was the first time they have attended a sporting event of that magnitude. In addition to watching the game, Ariana and Naja found time to dance the YMCA dance with a group of pee wee baseball players, Tommy and Austin tried their arms with the radar guns against Coach Plaster, and the group had a special meeting field-side with the players as they were warming up. During the game the group let out a cheer when the announcer greeted and congratulated the Varsity Club from Lexington Senior High School.
Some of the attendees included Logan Wicks, Jalain Charles, Austin Hunt, Tommy McGhee, Caleb Worley, Antonio Evans, Evan McIntosh, Demetrious Alston, Selene Esparza, Ariana Moore, and Jamarries Hardin. Some other attendees were chosen by their athletic coaches to attend as a special treat.
Selene Esparza, a multi-sport athlete at LSH, ended up her last semester passing all of her courses and will graduate this week. She said when talking to Coach Plaster, "I knew I could do it. You helped me believe that I could!"
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