en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Sun, 19 May 2013 19:38:27 GMT 15 By Ben Maestretti Laguna Creek HS
Even though the Save Our Sports program organization has managed to save the school district’s aquatic sports problem, it’s doubtful that it will manage to stave off a proposed $900,000 reduction in the over all sports program. And that’s not the only potential financial challenge in store for sports in the Elk Grove Unified School District. According to district athletic director Jim Smrekar, athletes may have to make a financial donation, labeled a “voluntary athletic contribution’,’ to each sport they play. For student athletes who can afford it, the first sport would cost $75 and the next would increase by $25. Waivers would be available for financially challenged students. Some concerned parents contend that the proposal amounts to “pay to play.’’ Smrekar responds that the plan is not without precedent. “I think it is necessary in this day and age, and other school districts have been doing it in the past,” said Smrekar. And that’s not all. Paul Casey, Laguna Creek’sathletic director, said that coaching stipends, transportation, and supplies will also be cut. Not surprisingly, the draconian economic proposals have upset some athletes like Thomas Galvan, a member of the Laguna Creek wrestling and the varsity football teams. “I think it’s outrageous, unnecessary, stupid, pointless and why should they cut back?’’ he said. “They have no right to take away sports (and make) some of us even pay for them.” Casey acknowledged that the proposed cuts are likely to cause problems for the sports program but noted that cuts will have to be made in other programs district-wide, and a number of proposals remain on the table. “Nobody wants to make cuts but something has to go,” said Casey. Freshman sports and most JV sports will most likely be the first items on the chopping block, Casey said. Laguna Creek wrestler Michael Pesole considers that kind of prioritization all wrong. ”All great athletes had to start somewhere, and without JV and frosh sports no one can see the talent they have,’’ he said. And with the traditional starting places gone, “”how will they get better?” Laguna Creek wrestler Michael Pesole said that “All great athletes had some were to start somewhere and without JV and frosh sports no one can see their talent they have and if not, how do (athletes) get better?” If JV sports are cut, some have proposed a varsity A and varsity B team concept where all grade levels would be blended according to ability. Since some sports funding is to be cut completely, some teams will have to rely on self-funding and some have already started their funding efforts. “We get about three fund-raising forms every day now,” Casey said. One point of contention whenever athletic cutbacks are raised in the district is the addition of artificial turf football fields at district stadiums. “We just play with the equipment the district gives us and now we won’t even be able to do that”, said Tyler Trunnel, a member of the Laguna Creek football and swim teams. “Well, if we are going to cut sports then why would they buy a whole turf field? They should keep sports if they have the money to purchase a turf field. It was a very atrocious move that the school board made for spending thousands of dollars on artificial field that a lot of teams aren’t even going to play on.” Even though it may sound contradictory to some, the district actually will save money with the $2 to $3 million installation of artificial turf and track, according to Smrekar. The money spent on turf is for capital improvements , and is unavailable for other purposes. As a practical matter, the district is in a wait and see mode. ”We can only make do with what the state gives us,’’ Smrekar. Asked when improvements in the sports program will start to materialize, Smrekar said, ”if I had the answer I would be doing a lot of things right now. Nobody can answer that question. The state government can’t figure it out.“ "We can only make do with what the state gives us. You can’t worry about things you can’t control," said Smrekar. ]]> Sun, 31 Oct 2010 22:41:06 GMT