Sports teams mobilizing to ensure Ann Arbor Public Schools' budget cuts aren't a death sentence
Athletic department budget cuts at Ann Arbor's three public high schools aren't the death penalty some may perceive, coaches say, as teams, parents and booster clubs piece together plans for moving forward.
Despite the success of the Pioneer girls lacrosse team, which was a Division 1 state runner-up this year, it was not spared.
Instead of panicking, head coach Zach Maghes did some quick math and quelled the fears of many upset parents with an email laying out a plan to raise funds so the team can operate as a club next season.
Ann Arbor Public Schools announced it would cut $475,000 from its high school athletics budget last week.
The cutbacks include eliminating school funding for all freshman sports at Huron, Pioneer and Skyline and the elimination of funding for a number of varsity sports -- including boys and girls lacrosse -- at the schools.
Huron lacrosse coach Joe Koengeter says his program will have to make some cost-cutting measures, but he anticipates it will operate as a club next year after losing its school funding in a recent round of school budget cuts.
AnnArbor.com file photo
Maghes said Pioneer had 50 girls lacrosse players last year, all of whom paid a $150 pay-to-play fee to the school and $50 in team incidentals.
“That’s $10,000 right there,” said Maghes. Girls lacrosse received $14,510 in general fund dollars in fiscal year 2009.
“We’re going to fund raise a little more and I know both me and the other coaches are willing to take a pay cut. ... For all the hours we put in anyway, you probably only make about 10 cents an hour.
"It's unfortunate but, at the same time, we'll persevere.”
Huron boys lacrosse coach Joe Koengeter estimated his teams will have to double their fundraising effort and cut back on luxuries like team apparel and dinners. He said the program fully anticipates operating as a club next year.
“We’re not happy about it, but it is what it is. It’s out of our hands. At Huron, we just fully intend to roll with the punches,” Koengeter said. “We understand that times are tough, things have to happen. We understand it's not someone sitting there saying, ‘We hate Huron lacrosse.’”
Prior to the cuts, Ann Arbor was the only Southeastern Conference school district funding lacrosse with general fund dollars.
Club sports, which receive no school funding and are generally set up as a non-profit organization, are still eligible to participate in conferences and MHSAA postseason competitions.
Other sports that had all funding eliminated and will need to be set up as a club to survive include boys and girls bowling; a second JV field hockey team at Pioneer and Huron; figure skating at Pioneer and Huron; cheer at Huron; dance at Skyline; and the fall crew season at all schools.
Some of those sports are benefiting from their roots as a club team. Pioneer crew, for instance, operated as a club sport for years before receiving funding and has built a 501c3, Pioneer Rowing Club Inc.
The non-profit that claimed more than $145,000 in net assets in 2007, spent more than $133,000 and had more than $155,000 in total revenue. A reduction in school funding won’t mean the death of Pioneer crew, simply an adjustment in how it uses its money and how aggressively it raises funds.
“We’re going to curtail our boat purchasing plan and the days of 10 regattas a year are over,” Pioneer coach Rich Griffin said.
Griffin also said since funding for coaches salaries will be reduced, the fall season will be looked at as a time for instruction. They'll also carry a reduced squad in the spring.
With Skyline entering just its fourth year of existence, the club infrastructure isn’t as strong.
Boys and girls soccer coach Chris Morgan doesn’t know what the exact plan will be, but he is brainstorming with parents and boosters about how to go about replacing school-funded freshman teams.
“We’re in the planning process of what are we going to do with these athletes. If we have an intramural team that doesn’t play, how do we keep them interested?” Morgan said. “(Lacrosse teams) needed to think about (being club) for years, I wish we were there.
"We’ll get there, it’ll just take a little time.”
Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twiter @petcunningham.
Comments
Sports Girl
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 11:45 p.m.
One thing that surprises me is that nobody has made a comment about the coach saying that the team will have to cut back on luxuries such as dinners. I had to read the statement three times to make sure I read it right. Is this common practice in Ann Arbor for the program to pick up the tab for dinner? I can tell you it doesn't happen elsewhere. If it is common across the board for all sports, there is one expense that should be the first to go. That cannot be cheap! Can you imagine just one dinner for football team? I have to say, Ann Arbor, you certainly have been spoiled.
cette
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 3:56 p.m.
Seriously, it's hard to get too sympathetic to a crowd that has booster paying dinners to team players. It's right up there with paying for hair cuts and a second TV in the bedroom...
MD
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 3:53 a.m.
No the tab is not picked up by Ann Arbor. These things are paid for out of each sports booster club accounts. This is money that was fund raised for or money that is included in team dues, which has nothing to do with school funds. He was just saying since those booster club funds now need to go towards refs, transportation, they will not be able to have them for the team dinners and other luxuries.
dk
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 8:47 p.m.
Given the physical nature of football, it is unsafe to play freshman against sophmores, juniors or seniors. I don't think you can say this about any other sport. I want to know what the total budget is for athletics and what percentage they are trying to cut. If they want to cut say 10% of the overall budget, then why not tell each team they have to make up the 10%. I don't see any other way that is equitable.
Sports Girl
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 9:55 p.m.
Freshmen would for the most part be playing against sophomores and other freshmen. The only time they would go up against juniors and seniors would be if they were good enough to make a varsity squad. I would assume if that was the case then more than likely he would also be built a little differently than his peers as well and would be able to withstand the physical nature of the varsity level.... Further, I would like to add, that it is very common for freshmen to be on JV teams. I believe if you polled Michigan schools you would find that majority of the football programs do not offer freshman football teams; they tryout for the JV. In some of your smaller schools, you will also see a lot of ninth graders on Varsity teams!! To say that these boys would get hurt playing on JV is ridiculous.
kms
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 9:42 p.m.
If freshman are too small to play football, perhaps they should choose another sport or wait until they grow bigger. Football is more about size than age. Why should they get their own team when all others have been cut? Freshman basketball players are likely to be shorter than upperclassman. Why shouldn't they have their own team to avoid getting trampled on the court by taller, bigger players?
eCoaster
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 4:13 p.m.
@15crown00 - how does high school football generate extra revenue for AAPS? I understand at the college level, but is football even self-sustaining at the high-school level? Sports Girl seems to make sense. However, if Title IX is about ratios, then why freshman football over soccer or basketball for boys? I would like to hear the school board give a real rationale. It is not like the kids who would have been playing freshman soccer or basketball will have much of a chance to play on the JV/varsity teams with the limited number of slots. If the freshman football team were cut, would it have been any different, in terms of playing on the teams with older kids? My feeling is that the AAPS just wants to protect football - not necessarily the kids.
Sports Girl
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 10:11 p.m.
As to why football was kept over other sports... I can only make assumptions.... I can assume politics was involved. Football is THE holy grail of all sports in high schools. Secondly, if you are going to collect Pay to Play fees, which are you going to select? A sport that has 10-12 participants or a football team with 40ish kids? (Assuming you still have to pay a coach and the 9th grade football team has hand-me down equipment from the other FB teams.) Secondly, which sport is going to bring in more fans, thus generating more revenue? Last, if you have either 10 set of parents to make mad or 40 set of parents.... Add up all of these factors, and you keep Freshman Football!
Sports Girl
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 3:56 p.m.
I've have read all of the articles on AnnArbor.com related to this issue, and I keep reading people state that this is a Title IX issue and that they see a lawsuit waiting to happen. Unfortunately, we live in "sue-happy" times and this is all too often the first thing people think when they believe an injustice has happened. However, this MAY not be a Title IX issue. I cannot say for certain because I do not know enrollment data of Ann Arbor schools nor do I know the enrollment numbers of all the sports. People, please do a little research before you make assumptions. Title IX does NOT state that schools have to run the same number of programs for boys and girls. Title IX is all about ratios. They look at the ratio of student/athlete boys vs. the ratio of student/athete girls. If for some reason, the number of girls in A2 schools is much lower than boys, then it is very well possible that they could get away with running one less sport and still maintain a pretty equal ratio of participation. And, there are quite a few other provisions as well! And, just so you know, I am a mom of three daughters. I also coach a girls' team. Therefore, I am all for gender equality. However, I am just not as quick to jump on the lawsuit bandwagon as others because I do understand Title IX a little more than others! I suggest before some of you go before the board tonight that you educate yourselves on Title IX - it will certainly help! If indeed they are out of compliance, then at least you will have the specifics.
15crown00
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 3:46 p.m.
Gender inequity you say.i'll bet football draws more revenue than ALL girls sports.now that's gender inequity. Let's forget about being PC for once Ann Arbor that's the way IT IS June 29,2011 Good Day
Sports Girl
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 10:20 p.m.
Ahhh, Revenue... But, there is quite a difference between revenue and profit, now isn't there? While football may generate quite a bit of revenue, it is also the BIGGEST EXPENSE in the athletic department as well!!! Not only does each team (Varsity, JV, Freshman) have a head coach, but there are multiple assistant coaches to pay. Then the equipment. Oh, the equipment... helmets, shoulder pads, hip pads, leg pads, elbow pads, jerseys, tees, footballs, etc... Next, you have the upkeep of the field - which is rather expensive. The list of expenses goes on. Once again, we cannot bring up the revenues if we don't bring up the expenses. So, bottom line... what is the PROFIT of the football program??
15crown00
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 3:40 p.m.
ALL sports should have spending cuts. maybe schools need to be closed. administrators terminated transportation eliminated And That's The Way It Is June 29th 2011
steven gillis
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 2:50 p.m.
This is a very important issue. Please however understand that there is a disconnect on much of the reporting. The cuts have not been decided. In point of fact the School Board has yet to even hear the issue which wont be presented to the Board until tonight's meeting. Whereas there is certainly a danger and threat to our sports in A2, there is also a danger in misreporting the actual status of the situation. Yes cuts have been requested but no programs have yet been designated for being cut from the schools. Again that issue is on the table but has not even been discussed with the Board. Cuts in the budget are very real and will happen but at this moment in time no teams have been cut as a school program as the Board hopes to make their budget cuts in other ways as they have the last 3 years. Again, this is not to downplay to severity of the situation merely to clarify the current status. No teams have been cut. Will they? Its possible and I sure hope it doesnt happen but it has not happened as of today and if you are concerned you should go to the School Board meeting tonight.
tim
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 11:56 a.m.
Definitely a Title Nine violation. The excuse to fund freshman football was " safety issues " do the the small size of freshman boys. My guess is that those boys will grow weather or not freshman football is funded. All the kids need training to avoid injures. Don't get me wrong, I love youth athletics ,but fair is fair and the schools will have to fund the same amount for girls sports.
Sports Girl
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 10:06 p.m.
Exactly what section of Title IX has been violated? There is no provision that states that an equal number of sports for boys and girls must be provided for...
J. A. Pieper
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 9:45 p.m.
If I had a freshman daughter, I would join the group who might eventually sue because of the Title IX violation!
grye
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 3:18 p.m.
You are correct. The boys will grow whether or not they have freshman football, without any regards to the weather.
Beth
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 11:50 a.m.
Football seems to drive a lot of decisions - I seem to remember hearing that a justification for not putting any high schools on a "balanced calendar" when it was proposed for Scarlett and Mitchell was that it wouldn't work for high school sports, especially the football training. I may be remembering wrongly. Do a lot of AAPS kids go on to get football scholarships to college? Do HS football games bring a lot of revenue to AAPS? My kids are still young, so I truly have no idea how "big" football is at the high schools.
kms
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 11:37 a.m.
annarbor.com is providing more coverage about the cut in funding for high school sports than they do about actual high school sports.
DonBee
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 11:08 a.m.
The easiest way to close the gap would be to drop to 1 athletic director and 1 staff for an athletic director. This is how Plymouth-Canton runs their 3 high schools. Instead there are 3 of each in Ann Arbor. Dropping by 2 Athletic Directors and supporting staff would provide more than $300,000 in budget relief.
DonBee
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 7:33 p.m.
And get paid very well for the long hours, not only do they get a salary, but they get paid for extra hours. The ADs are in the top paid employee list for AAPS - averaging over $140,000 a year in the last published list. Not bad for fixing malfunctioning equipment and hanging out watching games.
skigrl50
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 3:58 p.m.
The problem being that PC is all on one campus and AAPS is spread out all over town. I agree that the athletic director does not have to be an assistant principal but my gosh they work tremendously long hours...
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 2:42 p.m.
"Dropping by 2 Athletic Directors and supporting staff would provide more than $300,000 in budget relief." Absolutely correct! @kms: The school does have a principal who ought be at those functions, right? Good Night and Good Luck
kms
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 11:52 a.m.
Last winter, I saw Skyline's athletic director, John Young, staying late every night there was an athletic function at the school. He hops between basketball games and swim meets, making sure kids are getting rides home, delivering ticket boxes, trying to fix malfunctioning equipment, doing whatever needs to be done. I'm not sure how only one AD could effectively manage all sports at the 3 schools which aren't even near each other unlike the Plymouth-Canton schools.
chapmaja
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 5:28 a.m.
I can't wait to see how long before this decision ends up in front of the courts. This is a gender equity lawsuit just begging to happen. They are trying to cover themseves by saying it is a safety issue but it isn not and they darn well know it. This will end up in a lawsuit pretty quickly I'm sure.
schoolsmuse
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 2:41 a.m.
I agree that this article misses two big pieces of the puzzle. 1. The gender inequalities that exist when the only sport that keeps its freshman team is the boys' football team--I find it hard to believe this is primarily a safety issue. 2. A bigger safety issue, in my opinion, is that students will have to drive themselves (or get driven) to competitions, and that means many more teen drivers on the road. You can read more in my blog post: <a href="http://a2schoolsmuse.blogspot.com/2011/06/athletics-in-aaps-safety-title-ix.html" rel='nofollow'>http://a2schoolsmuse.blogspot.com/2011/06/athletics-in-aaps-safety-title-ix.html</a>
belboz
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 12:43 a.m.
I'm curious how all of the athletic cuts affect the open enrollment plan. I never thought that Ypsilanti would have more to offer students than Ann Arbor. Way to take the easy way out administrators. Easy compared to trying to balance enrollment across the elementary schools so that we can close some. Easy compared to trying to understand why we have 6 High Schools in Ann Arbor when in 2003 we had more than 200 less students in the district. More of my beef can be throughly enjoyed at <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/community/community_wall/ann_arbor_isnt_overrated_-_but_its_getting_there/">http://www.annarbor.com/community/community_wall/ann_arbor_isnt_overrated_-_but_its_getting_there/</a> Ann Arbor Isn't Overrated - But It's Getting There.
J. A. Pieper
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 9:42 p.m.
Sorry, but as an employee, seeing the waste, a tax payer, and a parent, AAPS thinks a lot more of itself than it is realistically!
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 2:40 p.m.
@bellboz: I have long thought that the people who saw cuts to the athletic program as the easy way to balance the budget were simply ignoring the likelihood that those cuts would lead to students leaving the district. If that were to happen, the cuts might cost the district more money than it saved. Now we'll get to see what happens. Good Night and Good Luck
geswerks
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 12:41 a.m.
Wow - the biggest inequity in the whole decision is glossed over in this article with a misstatement. "The cutbacks include eliminating school funding for all freshman sports at Huron, Pioneer and Skyline and the elimination of funding for a number of varsity sports -- including boys and girls lacrosse -- at the schools." NOT TRUE. Freshman football was NOT cut. The only freshman sport still funded serves only boys. Unfair, and the to attempt to justify it as a safety issue is disingenuous. Unless NO freshmen will be allowed to play up on JV or Varsity due to safety concerns, the safety argument is exposed as false.
tim
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 1:28 p.m.
Amen -- Even if they use the "safety " argument, the boys will get bigger without funding. It is hard to believe that in a town like Ann Arbor that any school board would attempt such nonsense.
John B.
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 1:43 a.m.
Correct!!!