Sports Budget Pinch: ; Costs Up, Revenues Down for High School Athletics

Charleston Gazette › July 01, 2010

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Summary

INSIDE Cheerleading status under scrutiny 5B Travel costs cut deep into sports budgets 5B

Its the ultimate double team, and ultimate double trouble. High schools all across the country are faced with increased costs and dwindling revenues for their athletic departments in difficult economic times. Those constraints have caused many schools to cut or reduce parts of their athletic budget, all the while keeping a wary eye on compliance with Title IX. A recent edition of High School Today magazine tackled the issue, devoting its cover story to the topic and offering possible considerations for schools feeling the financial pinch. Budget cuts that adhere to Title IX guidelines can be a tricky subject. Title IX, of course, is the groundbreaking legislation that was part of the broader Educational Amendments signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1972. Title IX was included as an equality-in-education act, stipulating that any institution receiving government money must provide equal opportunities to women and men, which inadvertently caused a boom in girls high school and womens college sports. Around the Kanawha Valley and the state, no one is yet admitting to large cutbacks in athletics, or discontinuing certain teams, so no Title IX conflicts are on the horizon. However, every athletic director contacted recently by the Gazette expressed concern with what the future holds. Our states done a real good job to this point, said Gary Ray, executive director of the SSAC, but the big concern is whats going to happen the next two, three, four years. Weve already experienced some difficulties. Its what we havent experienced yet. We could be heading up, or in trouble. Its hard to predict what will happen. Schools are navigating choppy waters when it comes to their athletic budgets. Costs are up, revenues from gate receipts are down and the gap appears to be widening. Were in a time of change, said George Washington AD Carol Brown. Revenues are a lot less than they used to be. People cannot afford to take their family to an event on a regular basis. If parents have two, three, four kids, by the time you pay for the students and themselves, its a pretty heavy expense. I think in West Virginia, we have responded better to the economy than most because I think we live on lower budgets. Were not all about frivolous things. But I do think it hits us as hard as some areas. Some schools havent cut back, but have started limiting their budgets. We havent had to cut sports or cut coaching positions, said University AD Jeff Bailey, but we have had to take a very, very close look at our budget. We havent put on a spending freeze, but one thing we have done is put a spending freeze on things we want. Right now, were in the process of buying only things we absolutely need. Herbert Hoover athletic director Steve Stoffel Sr. said summertime meetings have been planned between school administrators and coaches on ways to supplement income. We rely a lot on booster clubs, Stoffel said, but were in an area where we dont have a lot of large businesses we can ask for money. We have to go out and work for what we get ads for programs, signs for fences, those things. With smaller attendance at games, schools find themselves leaning even more on boosters for financial assistance. Other resources are team fundraisers or perhaps parents in some counties offering to drive athletes to games to save transportation costs. Weve had conversations about these issues, said Wheeling Park athletic director Dwaine Rodgers. Were not bad now, and Ive not yet had to make any kind of cuts as AD, but its becoming difficult. Were not getting the crowds we used to. I have a picture in my office when I coached [football] of the crowd at a Brooke-Park game shot from the sky. Its just jam-packed. We dont see those like we used to. We have golf scrambles to raise money, hold steak fries. There are different ways to raise that money. We dont want to say no to our athletes. And all we ask of our coaches is dont get crazy on us [with budget requests]. So far, so good. One thing ADs cant afford is to overlook Title IX regulations. In other words, you cant just whack a girls team because it doesnt make as much money as the boys team. Athletic directors know all about participation ratios by gender and athletic budget ratios by gender for their schools sports teams. Most are so aware that the topic seldom gets discussed. Title IX is there, and you have to be in compliance, Rodgers said. We make sure we have the same opportunities for our young ladies. There are a lot of sports out there. Most of them are non-revenue sports, and we know that going in. But we still provide them with what they need. Just be careful how you go about doing that. Some schools find it easier to discuss equality with their athletic programs. I cant remember the last time anybody said anything about [Title IX], said Allen Osborne, Pocas AD for more than 20 years. I hardly hear it mentioned any more. I think weve probably got more girls sports than we do boys. We have a girls soccer team, but not boys. I think girls sports have gotten better and more participation since when they started. It hasnt been a factor for us. The only thing our principal wants is for each sport to be self-sufficient. Basically, we dont have a budget. If [a particular sport] hasnt had a good year, they cant buy as much. Each coach is kind of responsible for their sport, and weve got some coaches fundraising. Most of our sports have paid for themselves. Fortunately, weve been able to handle that pretty good. Likewise, GWs Brown hasnt run into any complications regarding Title IX. I dont get a hint of anything like that, she said. All of our female sports are well-endowed. Were fortunate. I can see how [budget cuts] could affect some schools are that are not as funded. You have to decide [what goes]. I think when you start cutting sports, itll be sports that really dont support themselves meaning golf, swimming, sports that are not as easy for admission when you have events. But I dont see it [happening soon]. Riverside AD Jason Cantrell likes to look at his athletic programs as one for all, and all for one. Its all Riverside, he said, whether its soccer, football, tennis. Everybody goes out there and puts that uniform on to represent Riverside, and we want to give everybody the chance to compete. Give them all the resources they need. Youve got to make some tough decisions, but we try to make the best for everybody. As far as the bigger picture regarding athletic budgets, some schools around the state find themselves in unique situations. Jackson County has experienced a pair of fiscal obstacles in recent months, first with the closing of Century Aluminums smelting plant in Ravenswood and then with layoffs at the adjacent Alcan plant. As yet, Ripley athletic director Jimmy Frashier doesnt know of any budget cuts or reductions in the number of varsity sports. We havent, he said. I know all the talk of, Hey, if this plant leaves, there will definitely be some cuts coming, but I havent heard anyone say anything about taking teams away. I think one of the first things they would do is probably cut some of the feeder sports, maybe the junior high teams or something like that. But I could see it coming. You can definitely see it coming if we lose the plants here. If the aluminum plant goes completely under, thats a pretty big chunk of the tax base for the school system. For Universitys Bailey, the challenge can be found in scheduling. For example, Saturday would seem like a great day to play a high school basketball game, he said. You have no responsibilities except maybe for church the next day. But youll hardly ever find us playing a home game on that day. First, you have to pay custodian fees, which is double time on weekends. Then of course, with Morgantown and University, were competing with WVU. And to be honest, WVU wins, and will always win. Theyre the big show in town. A lot of other communities, theyre the only show in town. Our high school basketball schedules been out a good while, but WVUs is not out. Say we have a game on Jan. 24. When WVUs schedule comes out, if they have a game then, its too late for us to change our game. Guess whos gonna win? Families will choose to go to WVU and our bleachers will be empty. A few schools have searched for creative ways to use their allotted funds. At Riverside, which has no swimming or golf teams, the money allocated by Kanawha County schools for coaches of those teams can be used elsewhere in the budget. Cantrell said the school now finally has funds for an assistant girls soccer coach after head coach Lisa Blake managed a 28-member squad by herself in past seasons. Cantrell said Riverside also relies on its athletic boosters to pay for what it considers other high priority positions, a ninth-grade football coach and an assistant. Were not in danger of cutting any sports, Cantrell said. I cant see that on our end, but if Kanawha County would cut out some coaching positions, then obviously wed have to reexamine if we could pay for something or not. We do have a little bit extra for a few extra coaches. Until they pull that money from us or say we cant have this sports coach or that, well continue to provide what everybody else provides in the county. Its anybodys guess as to what the future holds for state high school athletic programs. Some schools like GW have tinkered with participation fees in recent years, but will not deny an athlete a chance to play if he or she cant pay. Their dues come from money raised by team members and supporters. If those and other efforts to maintain the status quo dont work, then perhaps high school athletics one day could find themselves absorbed into some sort of AAU or club status, like young athletes experience in Europe. I think a lot of sports tend to be leaning toward travel sports, said GWs Brown. Soccers that way. Basketballs that way. Football is about the only one that isnt. In the end, that could be what takes over. Ive thought of it a lot of different ways, and I think in some other states, some counties, it will be called different things. Because they are educational institutions and they could be moving away from being responsible for athletics. Now I think its really important for schools to have outlets for people who can achieve academically and athletically, but it is a double- edged sword. And an expensive one at that. Until that time comes, administrators will try to roll with the punches when it comes to funding their sports. We want to prepare for the worst and hope for the best, the SSACs Ray said. Thats what schools are doing.

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Sports Budget Pinch: ; Costs Up, Revenues Down for High School Athletics

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