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MOHONASEN CONSIDERS CUTS TO ATHLETIC PROGRAMS

Posted on: 02/27/09
Jackie Sher
email: news@spotlightnews.com

The Mohonasen Central School District Board of Education looked at ways the district’s athletic program could save money as it continued to talk about potiential budget cuts at its Monday, Feb. 22, meeting.

“Across the board, we’ve looked at the various areas and have asked everyone to give us their feedback on the areas we can cut back on,” said Denise Swezey, Mohonasen’s superintendent for business.

The district is looking at whether it might be able to save money in the athletic department on transportation to and from games and by reducing the number of games played.

“We’ve created a schedule in the Suburban Council this year.  Our goal is to play the same school at the same day 90 percent of the time,” said Swezey.  She gave the example of having “boys and girls playing soccer and a tennis match, and all of those matches would be against the same school.”

That would let the district “double up transportation,” she said.

While the plan won’t always work – varsity games start at different times from junior varsity games and district officials said they don’t want students to be forced to spend hours waiting around to get to and from a match if they’re not competing -- there are times when scheduling will work out and it will make sense to send the track team and the soccer team on the same bus to the same school.  The plan will be particularly efficient in the fall when all games start at 4 p.m. regardless of the sport and level.

Meanwile, the state has mandated that school districtscut back the number of competition in a season from 24 to 20, 20 to 18 and 18 to 16, depending on the.  The idea is that schools will save money in all areas, including transportation and the cost of paying referees.

“I think it’s a minor inconvenience to cut some games where I think it’ll help with our overall budget,” said Joe Scalise, director of Mohonasen’s athletic department. “I think it’s a way to address our budget issues without impacting students drastically,” said Scalise.

Scalese said he would have preferred that the decision to cut sports competitions have occurred at a more local level, but he supports the state’s decision.

“Your hands are tied a little bit when..............http://www.spotlightnews.com/spotlightnews/article.php?article_id=tH1235770759t49a85d875f493

It doesn't make sense here. They want to cut back on their athletic programs but yet they want to take someone's home/property by eminent domain for not just a bus garage but so they can expand their athletic fields.  

The district is simply following the directive from the New York State Public High School Athletic Assn.  Although it was met with some opposition, it is my understanding that there was an overwhelming amount of support for the reduction in games at the state level.

Cut the sports, and increase the White House cocktail parties. Makes sense. NOT.