Commencing Fishing Club at Minarets High School in the upcoming fall semester
Minarets High School, a combined public and charter school in Madera County, California, has expanded its extracurricular offerings with the introduction of a fishing club. The club, which is open to students of all skill levels, aims to provide hands-on fishing experiences while incorporating educational elements about fishing practices, laws, and regulations.
The club is supervised by Matt Broadley, an experienced angler who has been fishing since childhood. Broadley emphasizes teaching students about responsible conduct such as asking permission from landowners and understanding fishing laws, beyond simply fishing itself. The club builds on a similar initiative at Spring Valley Elementary School.
Despite being a small school with about 500 students, Minarets High School offers a variety of opportunities beyond the basics. The school strives to provide "big opportunities" including career technical education pathways, college dual enrollment, CIF sports, and now, the fishing club.
Principal Rhonda Corippo believes that the addition of a fishing club will increase student participation in extracurricular activities. "We want to offer our students a wide range of experiences and the fishing club is just one more way we can do that," she said.
Interested students can sign up for the fishing club by clicking here. Students do not need prior fishing experience to join. In fact, Broadley aims to provide fishing gear for every student who doesn't have their own through donations.
The Minarets High School fishing club is now sanctioned by the Student Angler Federation, allowing the creation of a competition team. The club is seeking support to help make it minimal to no cost for students, and those interested in helping can message Broadley by clicking here.
Broadley believes that the fishing club offers an outlet for students who don't participate in CIF sports. "Fishing is a great way for students to get outside, enjoy nature, and learn valuable skills," he said. "I'm excited to see what this club can do for our students."
[1] Minarets High School Fishing Club Press Release, 2022. [2] Minarets High School Website, 2022. [3] Madera County Times, 2022.
- Minarets High School's Fishing Club, designed for both novice and experienced anglers, will not only provide hands-on fishing experiences but also incorporate aspects of learning, such as understanding fishing laws and responsible conduct, into their educational approach.
- Apart from CIF sports, the Minarets High School Fishing Club provides an alternative for students to engage in sports, while also promoting education-and-self-development through hands-on experiences, learning about fishing practices, and building rapport with nature.
