Brandon Twp.- A return to a full-time athletic director and the elimination of weekend busing will be recommendations heard at the next school board meeting, but those possible changes are just the tip of the iceberg as school sports here undergoes what could be a major overhaul.
During a March 22 athletic committee meeting attended by several concerned parents and athletic coaches, topics discussed included the possible elimination of ninth grade sports, self-funding for middle school sports, and an increase in the pay-to-participate fees across the district.
‘The athletics program has suffered from less attention than it used to have,? said Superintendent Lorrie McMahon in explaining the committee’s decision to recommend making the athletic director position full-time again. Wayne Thompson, who has been with the district for 30 years, took over the reins as the athletic director in a part-time capacity in October 2008. The athletic director position had previously been full-time and held by Larry Lamphere, who was unable to serve in an administrator capacity without an education degree.
Thompson is a full-time employee, who also serves as an assistant high school principal. The recommendation will be to make Thompson a full-time athletic director. His duties as an assistant high school principal will be taken up by current administrators.
‘The athletic program is an extension of the classroom and it is very important to have a well-run athletic program, just as it is a well-run school, and we feel this move will be more effective in achieving the district’s goal of high student achievement.?
Additionally, the committee is recommending to the school board to eliminate the athletic coordinator position at the middle school, currently filled by teacher Steve Hendershott, with Thompson as full-time AD taking over those duties. McMahon estimates the move will save the district about $10,000. During the athletic committee meeting, Pat O’Shea suggested the district look at possibly hiring a new athletic director.
‘A lot of us have questions as to why we’re not excelling in sports,? he said. ‘Why not open the athletic director position??
However, McMahon said there are no plans to open the full-time athletic director position to anyone else.
‘I am pleased with the job Wayne is doing,? she said. ‘He has worked very hard and has a vision for the future of our athletic program.?
That program will continue to have a varsity hockey team. The committee had been considering cutting hockey as a way to save money, particularly since the cost of ice time last year was $23,000. However, hockey parents have come together and said they will fund their children’s time. They have offered to put in up to $35,000 and have requested only that the district pay the cost of the hockey coaches? $7,000? and $2,000 for the referee fees. The recommendation now will be to keep varsity hockey as a sport at Brandon because of great support from the parents, McMahon said.
Another recommendation the committee is making is to eliminate all weekend busing for sports and other extra-curricular activities, saving the district about $23,735.
The district aims to cut at least $150,000 from the athletic budget for 2010-11. Athletic budget expenses are currently $548,000, with revenues of $135,000. Also under consideration, but not yet recommended, are the elimination of freshman teams and self-funding for middle school sports? which could mean an increase in pay-to-participate for all athletes in the district, or possibly a different fee schedule for each middle school sport, depending on its cost. At the middle school level, sports currently offered are basketball for both girls and boys, football, soccer for both girls and boys, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys wrestling, boys and girls track, and girls sideline cheer and competitive cheer. This year, 420 students participated in middle school sports. The most expensive sport is competitive cheer, mostly due to entry fees for competitions. If the district changed to self-funding, the cost of cheer, based on the 18 current participants, would be $473 per student.
By contrast, with 84 current participants, football would be $134 per student. McMahon acknowledges she doesn’t yet know how it would work, based on a changing number of participants.
Another option would be to increase the cost of pay-to-participate across the board. For the past two years, that cost was $150 for each high school athlete and $75 for each middle school athlete, regardless of the number of sports played. Other districts in Oakland County charge $250-$300 per high school athlete per year, regardless of how many sports they play, and middle school rates go up to $150.
‘We’re considering raising it to these levels,? McMahon said. ‘Our athletic survey shows that very few students didn’t play last year due to pay-to-participate costs, so we are not concerned about losing players.?
The next athletic committee meeting is planned for 4 p.m., Tuesday, March 30, at the central district office, 1025 S. Ortonville Road.
The next school board meeting is set for 6:30 p.m., April 12, at the Performing Arts Center, 1025 S. Ortonville Road.