Money

Over the years schools systems have reduce funds going into school sports programs. Some systems do not fund any level of sports. With funds going away and cost going up. The teams are having to seek funds outside in the community. With the school seeking funds for the school, PTSA, band, yearbooks, clubs and all sports seeking support. Is this costing our kids? With gas still on the rise. Parents are finding less and less to give to these programs. Businesses are now are becoming strapped for that money that use to be there. Are we on the horizon of reducing sport teams. Losing JV programs to support Varsisty, reducing games and the saddess of all cut the programs all together. Just looking for ideas, thoughts, or even a couple to run for office to fix the problem.

 

I have always felt we need to get businesses to support some programs in public scholl. More on the academic side than the sports side.

 

Agree. The academic side is very important. I think that large corps. should be the supporters for some of the non-budgeted needs of the school. Smaller ones for sports. As most school systems still build or provide space for fields, ect. Sports need $ for uniforms and equipment. The smaller sport items could be paid for by donations though small businesses. What do you see the future holding?

 

pay to play

In some states, it going to "pay to play" in HS sports, whereby you individually pay a fee to play. Will NC face that one day? maybe, maybe not.

I'm on a HS booster club and it's getting harder & harder to raise the funds. Always dread going back to same people over & over. My brother runs a very successful small business in the same area and he says it's unbelievable the requests he gets to donate money to non-profits like schools, etc. He has to say NO to some of them; gotta draw the line somewhere.

It's interesting to see the jockeying and politicking of what the HS athletic dept pays for & what the booster is asked to do. At our school, the biggest expense paid by booster club is new uniforms. And they aren't purchased soon enough really before they are WORN OUT, but we do it on a rotation basis so hopefully all sports are treated fairly.

Something I've heard about but not at our school is mini-booster clubs for individual sports, like a baseball booster club, etc. Any experience with this? advantages/ drawbacks?

 

Dugout Club

We started a Dugout club around five years ago. Ran by the parents and supporters of the baseball team. They do car washes etc to raise money for our team. Also the concession stand is ran by the dugout club. We still encourage all our parents to support our schools athletic booster club. The funds the Dugout club raises goes directly to baseball. It has really helped us over the years. Next year we are planning an alumni game and an alumni home run derby. Along with this we are going to have a pig picken. It has really helped us overcome the shortage of athletic funds in our county.

 

That's a great setup. A coaching friend of mine in Lexington KY (Dunbar HS) has told me the thousands and thousands of dollars they used to raise for their baseball program. The money raised from bingo and other events supported field improvements, uniforms, spring break trip and transportation costs to the away games.

Their fundraising efforts were so successful, local Title IX advocates stepped in and demanded their share. That brought an end to the bingo games fast!

Good luck raising your baseball money, but be careful not to be too successful.

 

One of the most recent areas of opportunities is with the Carolina Panthers. It takes a commitment and you do work hard, but the South Meck baseball booster club raised over $16,000 one season manning concession booths. It's an excellent opportunity, but it does require a total commitment. The Panther's are not forgiving if a team booster club neglects to fulfil their duties one weekend.

 

Same thing in our area. the same businesses keep supporting the programs. doubtful that changes. Sometimes it gets hard going back to the same people all the time. But on the academic side, if businesses expect better employees than they are going to have to be part of the solution and get involved.

 

Pay to play

Our school (private) has already adopted the "pay to play" option to help pay for sports program, especially travel expenses. A varsity player can pay as much as $75 to play. My daughter was a three-sport athlete this year and my son played two--so a good $375 went to sports fees this year.
I work closely with our athletic director and the costs of just travel and umpires/referrees are only going up.
As with most things the costs are rising, but at the end of the day, I believe sports teaches so much that you take with you in life--it is worth it.

 

I believe the lessons learned in sports is worth it also and while I support pay-to-play, I worry about kids that may not be able to play. Advocates tell me that booster clubs and other avenues would scholarship kids who need it but that puts more pressure on booster clubs that are already short $. I have sponsored many kids for years and I am still privately buying cleats for kids who need it but I wonder how many people will step up to help others.