Brandon Twp.- In an effort to save money and ensure every student has the opportunity to play sports, school district officials are considering reduced bus service for extracurricular activities and discussing the current pay-to-participate policy.
‘We’ve discussed dropping the pay-to-play fee, but it’s very premature,? said Superintendent Lorrie McMahon. ‘We don’t want it to interfere with any student’s ability to play, but athletics is a very expensive piece of any school district… With financial times like they are, it’s pretty hard to find an alternative.?
Students currently pay a once-per-year fee of $150 to the school district to participate in athletics, regardless of the number of sports they play. Last year, these fees brought the district $73,000 in revenue for the athletics budget.
While pay-to-participate fees generated $73,000 for the school district last year, that revenue doesn’t come close to covering the costs of running sports in the district.
The athletics budget for the 2008-2009 school year was $585,506.81. The majority of that, $237,251.54, was spent paying the salaries of coaches and assistant coaches. Other major parts of the budget included $53,004.52 contribution to retirement funds; $44,773.32 to pupil services; $36,829.79 for the athletic director’s salary; $33,289.24 for equipment; $29,269.65 for the athletic secretary’s salary; $28,613.97 for miscellaneous expenses; $24,934.82 for employer Social Security; $28,348.00 for other professional technical services (referee fees, for example); $20,825.00 for the salary of the interim athletic director; and $15,000 for ice rink rental.
During an athletic committee meeting Aug. 24, McMahon, Athletic Director Wayne Thompson, High School Principal Michael Ferguson, and School Board Members Debbie Brady, D’Anna Keeble and Diane Wiley discussed one potential alternative that could at least save the district money? reducing bus service for extracurricular activities including sports, band, and choir events.
The committee is considering providing drop-off bus service only to after-school activities, and no bus transportation at all to extra-curricular weekend events. The district currently transports both ways for most events during the week and offers some weekend transportation. Eliminating the weekend bus service and going to drop-off only would save the district about $50,000 per year, McMahon estimated. In order to offer the current service, the district provides buses from their own garage, as well as the drivers, who are sometimes paid premium wages for the extra work. The drivers can also spend hours idled at an event, waiting for it to conclude. Additionally, elimination of bus service would mean savings on fuel and less wear and tear on the buses.
‘The downside would then be making sure the kids are transported in another safe way,? McMahon said. ‘There is still some responsibility to make sure students are in a car with a safe, qualified, adult driver. The savings are attractive, but there are a lot of things to weigh.?
The committee discussed permission forms, driver background checks, and liability issues.
‘If we implement drop-off only and drop the pay-to-play fee, it’s a wash,? said Brady. ‘It’s a great idea in this economy.?
Brady is the vice-president of the All-Sports Brandon Boosters, which supports the athletic department and athletes through various fundraisers, including hosting a bingo hall. The Boosters, she said, sponsored many children’s pay-to-play fees last year, but may not be able to help as many this year, with reduced bingo revenue and tough times in Michigan.
The district implemented pay-to-participate three years ago. Keeble recalled that when it was implemented, her daughter was upset because some of her friends could not afford to pay the fee. The Boosters try to help every child who wants to play sports, but Keeble notes that some who are unable to afford it may be too embarrassed to ask for help.
The athletic committee is currently left wondering if the pay-to-participate fees are affecting the number of students signed up to play sports this fall, particularly in the football program.
As of this week, the varsity team had 44 boys practicing, down six from last year; the junior varsity team has 18 players, whereas last year there were 31 JV players; and the freshman team, which had 37 players last year, has just 22 this year.
Thompson said he has been unable to identify anything specific for why the numbers are down.
‘I don’t know if economics is playing a part,? he said. ‘Most families will pay that $150 to get their son or daughter involved in the sport they love… Last year, we dropped the fee to play a second sport.?
The athletic committee plans to send a survey to students who played last year, but are not signed up to play this year, in an effort to find out why they are choosing to not participate. Fewer students on sports teams may mean more playing time, but it also increases the risk of injuries in sports like football, and it means less depth to draw from for coaches.
The athletic committee plans to resume discussion on transportation, pay-to-participate, and athletic participation numbers at their next meeting, 5 p.m., Sept. 28, at the central office, 1025 S. Ortonville Road.