Across the nation, high schools feeling the pinch

The deflating news earlier this week that the Florida High School Athletic Association is cutting the number of varsity athletics events by 20 percent has its counterpart in Virginia wondering about the subject.

Not acting. Not yet.

"Florida is a state that thrives on tourism... and real estate," said Tom Dolan, assistant director of the Virginia High School League. "So their state economy is suffering and budget cuts were imminent.

"While we are nowhere near being in the type of tight times Florida is, we are aware that we need to keep an eye on this. It's a discussion point."

Dolan said an open discussion of cost-cutting ideas will be on the docket when the VHSL's executive committee convenes next week in Charlottesville.

"Should the overall economy continue to suffer, we might get to the point next year where we would impose a 10 percent to 20 percent reduction in contests," Dolan said. Then he added a caveat. "Football, however, will get a pass. It's our true revenue producer."

Florida made the same decision, imposing 20 percent cuts on all varsity events - 40 percent for junior varsity - but sparing football.

Should the economy in Virginia continue its decline, discussion could turn to proposed action by the fall when the VHSL holds its general meeting Oct. 6.

"We have not defined anything specific," Dolan said. "But we'll be asking (next week) what people would like to see and what they are thinking."

Think tanks are already at work in South Hampton Roads. Joel Wagner, director of athletics for Norfolk Public Schools, said that while the athletic budget for the next school year is a replica of 2008-09, he can see hard times down the road.

"I feel we will take a hit next year," Wagner said. "It's on its way. Because of the stimulus package, we didn't have any troubles and the extent of budget cuts this year didn't hit our department. But I believe they eventually will."

With nearly each passing week, news from somewhere across the country draws attention to the expenses of high school sports and the fact that they are not immune to cost-cutting measures.

Two weeks ago in St. George, Utah, the Washington County School Board cut funding to each of its eight high schools' athletics departments by $15,000, saving a total of $120,000. Officials there said they expected each school's booster club to make up the difference.

Earlier this week, the La kota Local School District near Columbus, Ohio, announced a proposed 15 percent cut of expenses across the board in each sport. That district is already a pay-to-play locality, in which athletes are charged a fee to participate.

Closer to home, the Central Region of Virginia, which incorporates Richmond, was considering charging players who participate in sports. That movement died, but the region is feeling the crunch.

Chesterfield County is facing a budget proposal with a 50 percent reduction in travel allocations for athletics for its 11 high schools. Petersburg has eliminated its post-practice transportation program and has eliminated some coaching stipends.

In the northern part of the state, Fairfax County's 2009-10 budget proposal eliminated gymnastics.

High school athletics in South Hampton Roads have mostly been insulated from the hardships being felt in other parts of the country. Geography helps.

"Part of the reason is that we don't have to deal with a lot of municipalities," said Bruce Phelps, coordinator of student activities for Virginia Beach Schools. "In the Beach District, we're answering to the city of Virginia Beach and that's it. We're the only district in the state encompassed by the same political area."

It's a little more complex in the Southeastern District, which has high schools from Chesapeake and Suffolk, and the Eastern District, which has schools from Norfolk and Portsmouth, but not by much.

"I look at a district like the Bay Rivers that has schools from seven different municipalities, and that's where it has to be tough," Phelps said.

The Bay Rivers District has 11 members, with schools located north and south of the James River. It takes about an hour and 40 minutes for Southampton High to go the 90 miles for a league game against New Kent High.

Travel is not an issue in South Hampton Roads, where most of the teams in the Eastern, Southeastern and Beach districts are no more than 30 minutes apart.

"Our problems are more with sitting in traffic than the distances we travel," Phelps said.

Even at the region level, Eastern Region teams remain tightly packed. Meanwhile, in the western part of the state, travel costs multiply for schools in regional playoffs. The Northwest Region in Group AAA stretches from Roanoke to north of Fredericksburg. Two-hour drives to regional tournament events are commonplace.

Jimmie Williford, supervisor of health, physical education and athletics in Portsmouth, said: "We don't schedule anyone in Williamsburg or on the Eastern Shore anymore. We're trying to take a common-sense approach to it all right now. Do what's prudent and smart to cut costs."

Williford recognizes that his department may yet be asked to cut costs, particularly after this week's revelations that Portsmouth schools may need to cut another $2.5 million from the proposed budget for the upcoming year.

"I'm already in discussions with all the athletic directors in Portsmouth about what we might do if push comes to shove," Williford said. "Are we putting together a loose shopping list of what cost-cutting measures we could take? You could say that."

In Chesapeake, measures to cut costs have already been implemented. Beginning in the fall, middle school competition will be cut by 33 percent and Friday practices have been eliminated.

"We needed to cut our transportation and energy costs," said Wayne Martin, director of student services for Chesapeake Public Schools. "There are no cutbacks at the high school level yet, but we're scrutinizing everything, particularly transportation costs. It comes down to things like, 'Maybe we don't need that new pitching machine. Maybe the 15-year-old one just needs some maintenance.' "

In Norfolk, the middle schools picked a tough time to add football. The city went through with getting it started, but scaled back a bit. The original plan for each team to carry 40 players was shaved to 30.

"We don't have an outlandish budget to begin with," Wagner said. "We already practice an accountable approach to it all. And we don't have a lot of things we could cut."

The idea of pay-for-play was "proposed internally" in Norfolk about five years ago, according to Wagner, and was rejected.

"We are an inner-city school system, and that would impose a tremendous burden," Wagner said. "We need the ripple effect working in a positive way with our students. We need to keep as many playing as we can."

Kevin Alston, assistant superintendent for administrative services for Suffolk Public Schools, said he was asked to do a cost-cutting study for the Suffolk School Board recently.

"When I brought up pay-for-play, they just about ran me out of the meeting," Alston said. "Eliminate the chance for kids to play athletics because of money? Not a good idea. I told them I was just the messenger. But all of this is up for discussion right now. Our budget for the coming year will be done in a few weeks."

Martin hinted that it might be time for booster clubs to step up their contributions.

"Principals have to be smart about how much they ask booster clubs to give," Martin said. "But I can see booster clubs becoming more of a player in this. Times have gotten tough.

"The important thing is that people need to recognize that athletics is a continuum of the educational day. Athletics is important to the running of any school."

Rich Radford, (757) 446-2463, rich.radford@pilotonline.com