Saline school board boosts pay-to-play fees for 2010-2011
The Saline school board unanimously approved a 16-percent increase in fees to participate in high school sports for 2010-2011, hiking the pay-to-play toll from $150 to $175.
The increase, approved by the school board Tuesday evening, will help to cover higher salary costs for the 100 paid coaches in the school district, said Athletic Director Rob White.
Salaries for 2009-2010 total $820,000. Additional costs include transportation, the hiring of officials, tournament entry fees, maintenance of facilities and the repair of equipment such as football helmets.
Saline's Justin Owen, right, battles for control of the puck with Trenton's Mike Lesko during a recent game. Saline athletes will soon be paying more to play.
The pay-to-play fees cover $150,000 of this year’s $994,000 athletic budget. White called the increase “the most effective and cleanest way to generate revenue.”
Other revenue sources include $140,000 in gate admission to events and $704,000 from the district’s general fund. White said the latter amount comes to 1.25 percent of the fund.
“That’s the best bang for our buck this district is getting,” he told the board and several dozen members of the public Tuesday.
The district supports 22 high school sports programs and seven in middle school. No increase of the $125 fee for middle-school athletes was proposed. White said kids of that age are at a “stage of exploration” and shouldn’t be discouraged.
The fee allows an athlete to play more than one sport. It also includes a pass that lets a student attend any sporting contest within the district.
“I want our athletes in a healthy place, and that’s at our events, cheering on their fellow athletes,” White said.
A cap of $500 in pay-to-play fees remains in effect for families with more than one athlete.
Even with an overall drop in district enrollment, about 400 more students participate in sports programs than at the beginning of the pay-to-play era, which is now in its fourth year.
White said the latest in multi-phase stadium and locker room improvements is paid for by a $200,000 grant from CARES. The program serves the needs of cultural arts, recreation, enrichment and seniors within the district and comes from a special millage approved in 2009.
“We are becoming more and more creative in funding,” he said.
Board president David Friese asked White why it’s not practical to raise more gate revenues by rescinding the free admission that’s extended to senior citizens. After all, said Friese - who noted he will soon observe his 67th birthday - most seniors are financially better off than the families of students.
White replied it’s a policy of the Southeastern Conference to offer free admission to seniors.
After the meeting, Friese said, “People of my generation have somewhat failed the young people of today by not providing adequate funding for athletics and for schools as a whole.”
Ronald Ahrens is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
failed2conform
Fri, Mar 26, 2010 : 8:37 a.m.
@Jay - I think the powers that be appear to be moving in the right direction, but be wary of smoke & mirrors. Eyehearta2's list is inaccurate, many of the groups listed on that link receive NOTHING from the schools except for a very Orwellian Big Brother. Mr. White's presentation spoke of numbers of kids who participated in multiple sports. It is shameful that he would include athletes from club sports - who receive no funding from the district - to bolster the department's status. How difficult of a decision must it have been to raise participant cost in exchange for receiving an additional $200K from CARES? What has that done to reduce the $4M shortfall facing the district? The time has come to make difficult decisions, not preform prestidigitation.
Jay Allen
Thu, Mar 25, 2010 : 8:54 a.m.
H2O Polo is an excellent example of running a program efficiently. This program actually lowered fees this year and now has scholarships available for those families whom have fallen on hard times. Rob White & Scott Graden are doing an excellent job with the hand that has been dealt. Any of you that think otherwise simply don't have the facts straight or have them at all. Now, the issue I have is we are going to spend 200K of Cares money to upgrade locker rooms when there are many needs far more pressing? I guess the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
stunhsif
Thu, Mar 25, 2010 : 8:07 a.m.
David Friese stated, "most seniors are financially better off than the families of students". That is a true statement David when seniors like you and your wife are retired public school teachers with FATCAT pensions and healthcare till you die. Most seniors don't enjoy the lifestyle you have given to you by the taxpayers. Now quit wasting everyones time trying to raise costs for the taxpayers and get to cutting teachers salaries and benefits to balance the budget. Yah right, like you have any interest in doing that.
wallybob
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 : 12:17 p.m.
Why is the district making sacrifices to education when they are spending $704,000 on funding kids hobbies? School should be for learning if parents would like there kids to do outside activities let them pay for it. What about the kids that have outside interests other then sports, Where is the funding to support there hobbies?
Ram
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 : 11:05 a.m.
YPboyWRheart: Funny that you bring that up. If you were at the meeting last night, you would have heard when Mr. Friese stated that he believes Seniors should be charged like the rest of adults. Athletic Director Rob White responded that he will not do so because the other ADs from the SEC do not wish to do so.
onlinejoey
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 : 8:52 a.m.
@salinehornet You must be joking. I have been told that the SEA is telling their members that the MEA won't let them make concessions, so their hands are tied. I'm sure blaming the superintendent and acting like actual concessions were offered is the best way to save face.
salineguy
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 : 7:07 a.m.
If a sport like Hockey can find a way to cover the $70,000 or so it costs per year to fund it (with fundraising and $1600 per athlete), any one who complains here about a $25 increase should be ashamed. Very surprised that no one (yet) has called out the coaches for being so 'greedy' as to take up 82% of the athletic budget just like is done regular here in regard to the teachers. Very surprised that no one (yet) has called for 'sacrifice' in these terrible economic time. Can't mess with almighty sports, perhaps. Obama's fault, no doubt!
SalineMom
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 : 6:39 a.m.
@salinehornet - Teachers have made several offers to delay their compensation or "loan" the district dollars that they expect to get back in future years. They are not willing to give up one cent in these severe financial times. Just like the mid-year teacher cuts made a few weeks ago - look forward to many more for next year with maximum class sizes.
A24Evr
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 : 6:27 a.m.
Do not show a picture of a sport that pay 100% of the budget for playing that sport! Hockey, H2O Polo, Lacrosse and Crew do not pay the pay-to-play fee...instead they pay the entire budget that it costs to pay those sports. Lacrosse players pay $400 to $500 a season, hockey players pay approx. $1700 a season and the others pay hundreds as well. The pay-to-play fee is a joke! The other sports should be paying there own way as well. The football players have been given a free ride long enough. And how about the band members, why don't they pay for their instructors time just like a lacrosse player pays for their coaches salary and even their own bus transportation. So please, next time Mr. Ahrens, do your research. In fact why don't you do an article on what the budgets are for each sport and what players pay to play those sports. In fact Mr. White's over paid salary should be included in all thoses fees as well.
A24Evr
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 : 6:04 a.m.
Don't show a hockey picture within an article on Pay-To-Play Fees! Families that have kids in Hockey, Crew, H2O Polo, Lacrosse and maybe others pay 100% of there own fees. Lacrosse players pay approx. $400 to $500 a season, hockey players pay approx. $1700 a season and the others pays hundreds as well. The Pay-To-Play fee should have been raised much higher if not pay the entire budget for the sport that you play. Football players have been given a free ride long enough. And how about band members, why not charges them for uniforms, teachers time, busing and so on. So please A2.com, don't show a picture of a sport that pays thousands of dollars within an article that gives the impression they only pay the meesly current $150 to play.
salinehornet
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 : 5:17 a.m.
If the superintendent would negotiate with the teachers union, the increase in the fee would be a non-issue. Teachers have made several offers to give millions of dollars back, but he has accepted and then reneged on each of them.
YPboyWRheart
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 : 4:58 a.m.
David Friese, Really, Charge Seniors. We all don't have your money.