Prep Coaches Feeling Strain Of County's Bus Fuss

Hillsborough County high school track coaches scrambled to get their entire teams to meets today as transportation issues as a result of budget cutbacks caused logistical problems.

According to county athletic director Lanness Robinson, the county's procedure for the past several years has called for a single bus (which has room for 50 to 60 athletes) to be used for each school to transport both the boys and girls track teams to a meet. For a track meet like today's divisional competitions, some larger teams might bring more than 75 athletes.

However, it's only been under the recent budget reductions that the county has tried to implement that procedure countywide. In the past, Robinson said, some schools have been able to acquire a second bus for meets. And if the event is within 10 miles of the athlete's school, students are allowed to drive their own cars.

At Sickles High, more than a dozen athletes had to carpool because there was not enough room for them on the bus. The distance to the meet at Jefferson was over the 10-mile carpool limit.

At Gaither, Cowboys track coach Ladd Baldwin faced a similar situation. He also had just one bus to transport 65 athletes, two large tents, two coolers, eight to 10 pole vault poles, a first-aid kit and all of the athletes' bags to the meet at Jefferson. Gaither also had to have some of their athletes carpool the nearly 11 miles.

"We're sitting here trying to decide whether we make two trips and shuttle them back and forth and still make the meet on time, whether I should stay at the meet or ride back to get the second load of kids, or just try to cram everyone in the bus for one trip and hope we make it down Dale Mabry [Highway] without getting in a crash," Baldwin said this morning. "I understand we're in a budget crisis, but this also becomes a safety issue and a liability issue."

Robinson said he empathizes with the concerns of coaches and parents and does believe safety is a priority. But in light of the budget cuts being asked of the school district across the spectrum of its activities, Robinson said coaches need to find ways to be "creative" when it comes to transporting athletes to events.

"I don't have to remind anyone that we are in the midst of some seriously challenging economic times and everyone is going to have to find some creative solutions to problems like this," Robinson said. "We [the school district] are in favor of having athletic programs for as many students as possible.

"But if we all want that, what we need to do is make that clear to our lawmakers, or legislators and the people who are in control of the state budget."