TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

High School Sports Feel Economic Crunch

Photo Illustration by Jasmina Meyer/Highlands Today

Every school in Highlands County is becoming creative in ways to cut back on expeditures and stretch an already thin budget.

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHRIS HOFFMAN

Highlands Today

Published: September 14, 2008

High school sports teams across the country are feeling the pinch of the economic recession, the soaring gas and diesel fuel prices and it's affecting not only their budgets, but also the way they approach scheduling.

Every school in Highlands County is becoming creative in ways to cut back on expenditures and stretch an already thin budget.

"Our biggest challenge has been paying for the transportation costs for each of our sports programs," Avon Park athletic director Mort Jackson said. "The slumping economy is affecting all sports and it's not going to get any better anytime soon."

There is a breaking point. Jackson says that Avon Park teams are rethinking their scheduling habits because of higher fuel costs and will keep his teams closer to home in the future.

"You've got to pay for your bus driver, you've got mileage and the fuel when you are planning a schedule," Jackson said. "Fuel costs are really going to hurt our budget. We can't do anything about the football schedule this season, but next year there will be some major changes."

The hike in fuel costs has gone from 65 cents to over $1 a mile since last season, which forced the burden of the higher costs back on the individual sports programs.

"Each program is responsible for half of their transportation costs this season and in the future," Jackson said. "Normally, that wasn't the case, but we there is no other way to keep some of these programs afloat."
Junior Varsity Takes Heavy Toll

Sebring athletic director Terry Quarles agreed with her AP counterpart's assessment and has already taken steps to alleviate the strain of transportation costs for her basketball program.

"Each sport has to be self-supportive," Quarles said. "We've looked at alternatives to scheduling and no matter the solution, there are some tough choices that needed to be made."

This season, the Blue Streak boys and girls basketball team will travel to numerous games together, including matches against Palmetto and Braden River to help out both programs. But with each positive solution comes a downside.

"Our junior varsity program is the real loser in the economic cutbacks," Quarles said. "By doubling up the boys and girls basketball on many road trips, that leaves the JV team at home instead of traveling and competing. They lose valuable games and many programs might not even have junior varsity teams."

The junior varsity basketball season has seen its schedule drop from 18-20 games in years past to 11 games this season, with many on its schedule being teams closer to home.

The lack of games for the junior varsity has Blue Streaks boys head basketball Princeton Harris concerned about the future of his program.

"The junior varsity is the heart and soul of any program, since they are the future stars on varsity," Harris said. "It's been a huge challenge in putting a schedule together for the JV since most schools don't have the money to travel."

Harris is in the process of putting together a two-day junior varsity tournament that would give teams more games against top-level competition in a short time span.

Scheduling Conflicts

The budget cuts at schools across the state put the annual Taveniere Classic over Christmas break in jeopardy with many schools declining the invitation.

"I normally have my schedule done before the school year is over," Harris said. "But I'm just now putting the finishing touches on the schedule for the upcoming season that begins in two months.

"The Taveniere was extremely difficult to find teams to play in. I normally would get to hand pick the teams and many were all too happy to come and play, but I got a high turndown rate this year and really had to work hard to keep the tournament alive.

"Most schools just couldn't afford to come and play."

The budget cuts have also altered the number of paid assistants for each sports program, which has forced many assistants into a volunteer role if they want to continue working the sidelines.

"In the past, we'd be able to ask for additional assistants if it was warranted," Harris said. "But each sport at each school has the same amount of paid assistants, which actually levels the playing field a bit, but some of these coaches relied on the stipend they received from coaching and some are out that money."

Another ancillary expense that has seen a huge increase has been the cost of officials for each sport. The bill for the entire season of officiating is paid before each team plays its first game, which cuts down a budget in a hurry.

"The cost of officials went up by $1,400 last year and will go up another $700 this season," Harris said. "That expense was normally taken care of by the money I'd receive from the Firemen, but those funds don't cover it anymore. So we've had to lean towards fundraising and sponsorship by local businesses to offset those mounting costs."

Fundraising Becomes Key

With all sports programs responsible for a huge portion of their transportation and other costs, fundraising plays a huge key in supplementing those funds that normally would go towards new equipment or uniforms.

But with the economic crunch taking its toll on the local businesses in the area, many are unable to give as generously as they have in the past.

Kathy McKibben has been a member of the Avon Park Soccer and Football Booster Club and has been assisting the Red Devil volleyball team in raising money this season.

McKibben has seen first-hand the look in the eyes of her fellow business people in Highlands County who can't give as much or at all this year due to the economic downfall.

"Some people have had to cut back on who they're donating their money to this year," McKibben said. "The money just hasn't been there for them over the summer for them to give as much as they've been accustomed to.

"What I've tried to do as a fundraiser is not to go to the same well for every sports program. I might go to a business for football, but I'm not going to go back and ask them for more money for volleyball. We just haven't been able to go to these businesses and ask for the big money."

Lean financial times have forced people to get creative in their ways of fundraising.

For the volleyball team, McKibben has sold game sponsorship with each business or individual a getting a business card ad in the game brochure and also a steak dinner at the high school to help generate more revenue for Red Devils to use on items needed to stay competitive.

"The volleyball team really needs to get new nets and equipment that hasn't been replaced in a long time," McKibben said. "Every little bit helps and we'll continue to find a way to support our kids."

New Avon Park volleyball head coach Stephanie Devlin heaped praise on McKibben for her continued support and realizes the importance of the community in creating a winning program.

"Sports teams are a reflection of their community," Devlin said. "They represent their town and it's great to see the businesses and people, like Kathy McKibben in the community showing that they care."

Red Devil head football coach Andy Bonjokian has called upon the local businesses for their help in his first year at the helm and understands that everyone is in a bind financially, but still sees his supporters lining up to offer relief.

"I'm lucky to be in Avon Park," Bonjokian said. "We've got some diehard fans that are there for us when we need them. There's only so much you can cut in your budget before you have to get strategic with your spending."

In Sebring, the Firemen Inc. have been a godsend for the Blue Streaks in terms of fundraising and donate tens of thousands of dollars each year to be used for all the sports programs.

"Many of our teams would have no money if it weren't for the Firemen," Quarles said.

Harris thanks the Firemen whenever possible for the generous funds that they've bestowed on his basketball team and says that this year it is needed most of all.

"The Firemen are the reason that Sebring has the chance to be as competitive as we've been in so many sports," Harris said. "I think sometimes many people in the community take them for granted, but I've seen schools that don't have the support from the community like we do and they're barely able to field a team.

"Trust me when I say that we're lucky at Sebring for all that the Firemen do for us."

Chris Hoffman can be reached at 863-386-5827 or at choffman@highlandstoday.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT