DEATH OF HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

Once upon a time, baseball was the cheapest of sports to play. You brought your cleats and glove to the game and coach had everything else.

 

No question that is what spearheaded this topic. Every community has their own challenges, but here in Charlotte we have 20 HS's that compete in sports. And out of the 20 there are a handful that could support their HS baseball program. CMS makes their decisions based on all of the school's interest. If a minority of schools can't afford the expenses or lack interest in the sport, it affects all of them. It's why I believe that HS baseball in Charlotte IS in trouble. It's why I believe it may face going to club sports.

All of the schools in the SW4A have very little trouble gathering boosters and all of their field maintenance is meticulous simply because the coaches take pride in their fields. Do they get parent support? You betcha. There is very little wants or needs (outside of 90 mph pitchers) by the coaches. They are all outstanding in everything you could ask for in a coach.

However, CMS covers other conferences as well. Some schools get very little support for their baseball program. But CMS will make decisions based on all of their schools, not between the have's and have not's. If a few schools must drop baseball because of affordability, then all schools will. It's the way it works.

The surest way to try to help is to help the schools with needs; equipment, coaching and other things they can use. It's tough to field a team when the players have no jersey's or cleats...much less bats and balls. Ask Coach Wade at Kinston. He has scratched and clawed his way into the playoffs in a tough conference with virtually no help financially from the athletic program. It can be done, but not without help.

We are in times that we have never faced before. Financial constraints will force drastic changes. Will it filter to HS baseball? Stay tuned.

 

Superintendents across the state are bracing their boards for the worse. I'm hearing massive teacher cuts in the next fiscal year. It's predicted to be bad. Everywhere. Budget cuts in athletics are coming. Parents & boosters better prepare themselves.

 

Well if that is the case, CMS may be up a river without a paddle, unless the struggling schools manage to figure the budget out. Not trying to be negative, but that really is an unfortunate situation to be in. Sounds like the folks here at TBR should start some brainstorming...

 

What I'm afraid may happen is CMS is in a situation where teachers are losing jobs. Most schools are losing money with their spring sports. I can see them taking the position of dropping all spring sports and applying that money to save some teacher positions; forcing schools to provide their own participation through "club sports" supported by booster clubs or "pay to play."

It's not an ideal position and certainly will provoke an outcry by the public, but when it comes to money and if CMS takes the position of academics over sports....well, we know what side that decision will come down.

I know there are some enterprising men contacting the area athletic director and proposing alternatives to the normal HS baseball season---basically absolving the school system of any financial investment. I hope it doesn't come to this, but I suspect CMS is looking at all alternatives. One area I would scrutinize is the importance of having a sole athletic director at each school. That position alone costs the school system over $1,000,000 in salaries. Why not transfer those responsibilities to a coach and increase his stipend at a fraction of the cost. It is certainly something that is done in many areas (please, no hate mail from the AD's--I love ya.) But at a time when teachers are losing positions and coaches are facing dissolving of their programs, something drastic must be done.

I imagine it will be a long summer and the issue will remain fluid, but a decision will be made then about the future of all spring sports.

 

Braves,
I don't know how it is in Charlotte, but in Winston, the AD's are already teaching a full load. With over 30 different sports to keep up with, there is no way a Coach would be able to do all that an AD has to do. Getting Umpires, gate keepers, concessions, bus drivers, helping with fields, trash removal, scheduling etc, are just a FEW to mention. I know in the spring alone we have at least 10 teams that are in season. I sure wouldn't want to try to do that and Coach. I think Winston has cut that position about as much as possible by make them teach a full load. Maybe this was what you where talking about???