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5.5% Athletics Cut Would Reduce Contests
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Published: May 22, 2008
LAND O' LAKES - Athletics has always served as a microcosm of life for its participants. When things go awry, on or off the field, adjust and move forward.
On Tuesday, Assistant Superintendent Jim Davis recommended cutting athletic programs by 5.5 percent for the 2008-09 school year to help the Pasco County School District deal with an anticipated $16 million shortfall.
The plan, which would save the district $76,000, calls for a reduction of games played as well as the elimination of some supplements. Varsity cross-country, golf, swimming, track and weightlifting would be reduced by two contests; girls and boys golf teams and girls and boys cross-country teams would be combined. Additionally, swimming supplements for assistant coaches would be eliminated.
Junior-varsity soccer, baseball and softball would be cut by two games, while JV wrestling, volleyball and basketball would have their schedules reduced by four games. Middle school basketball, volleyball and soccer would lose two games apiece.
There would also be a reduction in the sports maintenance budget, which is projected to save the district 10 percent.
"As an athletic director, you always think you're not funded enough anyways," Wesley Chapel athletic director Steve Mumaw said. "And then they're taking away another $76,000. It's going to make things much more difficult.""
Kathryn Starkey, school board chairwoman, views herself as an advocate of sports. Starkey and her husband are licensed soccer coaches; her daughter, Lindsey Jones, played soccer at River Ridge, went on to play at the Air Force Academy and later founded the University of Central Florida soccer club.
Starkey was opposed to the initial idea of eliminating middle school athletics, but does support trimming the overall athletic budget.
"I'm a believer that athletics keeps many kids in school, that it keeps the kids occupied after school if both parents are working, and it teaches life skills," Starkey said.
"I think we get a lot of bang for our buck with athletics, and it's not so easy for me to take a knife to it."
On Wednesday afternoon at Sunlake High School, principals and athletic directors met with Davis to offer possible solutions.
Land O' Lakes athletic director Chuck Moehle was not overly alarmed by the proposed cuts.
"When you talk about cutbacks, obviously some individuals are going to be affected a lot more so than others, and some programs will be affected a lot more than others," Moehle said.
"But overall, if it ends up being around the same, which is 5.5 percent, we're talking about $76,000 out of $16 million, then athletics really won't be impacted a great deal compared to some other areas where there will be cutbacks."
Mumaw disagrees with the argument that the importance of academics exceeds that of athletics.
"I see athletics and education going hand-in-hand," he said. "There are a large number of students each year that the only reason they're in school or continue to be in school is so they can play on the sports teams. That's helped lot of kids graduate high school, or stay in high school and not drop out.
"Not that sports is their passage to riches, but if that keeps them in school and gets them their degree, well, that gives them a better opportunity to come back and contribute to society."
The school board will discuss the budget at a workshop in July before the first public hearing, scheduled for July 29.
Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214 or edaniels@tampatrib.com.
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