Brandon Twp.- Pay to participate has been a phrase associated with the fees student athletes have incurred for several years.
Soon, pay to participate could also expand beyond sports to include any extra-curricular activity, including yearbook, student council, band competitions, and the school play and musical.
‘Pay to participate is being discussed for all student extra-curricular activities that have a cost to the district,? said Superintendent Lorrie McMahon.
‘What we’re looking at is driven by making things equitable and affordable. If this was decided on, we would spread the cost equitably and put the money into the classroom, instead of outside activities.?
During an athletic committee meeting April 20, teachers, coaches, and parents raised concerns about the district’s proposed elimination of some sports at the middle school, football in particular. The district must have a budget in place by the end of June and is considering $3.5 million in cuts, including soccer, football and sideline cheer at Brandon Middle School.
?(Cutting sports) is detrimental to athletes who need sports to keep them interested in school,? said teacher and Varsity Football Coach Tim Pizzala. ‘Kids in school plays and other clubs don’t pay to participate. It’s frustrating to me. I understand there are tough decisions to be made. It just seems there’s a better way to do it than for $11,000 get rid of middle school football.? Parent Pat O’Shea said he has numerous concerns about the athletic program, including absentee coaching, a girls? soccer program in ‘disarray,? and questioned the effectiveness of Athletic Director Wayne Thompson.
‘I’m not seeing vision, just elimination of programs, cuts, no busing to events, and an increase in pay to play,? he said. ‘I would like to know what the vision is, because it’s leaving, in my mind.?
Committee and School Board Member Beth Nuccio said it’s unfortunate if people leave the district because of the athletic program.
‘It’s academics first,? she said. ‘I understand athletics are important. You can be the greatest athlete, however, and you aren’t going anywhere because you can’t make the grade.?
Thompson said his concern is the imbalance in cuts, with nine positions cut in football and track taking double the hits of any other sport besides football.
‘The only solution I see is (increasing) pay to participate,? he said. ‘For every $50 increase per participant, we would have $26,000 in additional revenue. It would offset the costs or balance a little more the cuts… We’re an academic institution, but I can’t think of a signle case where an athlete’s grade suffered when they played. It’s the opposite. Grades go down when they aren’t playing… I doubt there would be an uprising if we had an increase in the pay to participate.?
McMahon said Thursday that surveys on pay to participate would be sent home April 22 with all high school, middle school and intermediate school students. The survey asks about a proposed increase of $50 per family per year in pay to participate athletic fees at the middle school and high school. The survey also proposes a charge for co-curricular activities which would be $75 per family at the high school level and $50 per family at the middle school per year. Clubs would have a smaller participation fee and it would depend on the costs of the club. She said it is essential to have responses back by Tuesday as the district seeks input from parents.
‘If we are to maintain the programs we have, there will have to be a change in pay to participate,? she said. ‘Not necessarily an increase if we ask more people to pay.?
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.
Results from a previous more broad-based athletic survey taken in January are not being released until after the board completes the budget. That survey asked for ratings on equipment, facilities, player development, coaching and the overall experience with Brandon’s sports programs. Respondents could also rate how well athletic officials communicated with athletes and parents regarding school and team rules, team schedules, transportation arrangements, and coaching philosophy and expectations.