Freshmen athletes are losing to budget cuts at school districts across Central New York.
For many CNY freshmen, said David Penafeather, coach of three Baldwinsville sports teams, the effect is harsh: “Unless you’re the star athlete, or you play football or girls’ volleyball,” said Penafeather, “you won’t be playing sports for your school.”
Four school districts have cut an array of sports for freshmen. These athletic cuts are forced by shrinking budgets, school officials say. The four that have cut most or all of freshmen sports are Baldwinsville, Central Square, North Syracuse, and Liverpool school districts.
Some highlights of the cuts and effects on freshmen sports for the 2010-2011 school year:
- Baldwinsville Central School District:
The budget has stayed the same, but the school district shifted money in its budget to avoid cutting teachers. Ins pursuing that goal, the athletic program’s funding was cut back by $86,967. Of that money, $64,383 — or 74 percent — came from eliminating the majority of freshmen sports teams, said Bruce Quimby, athletic director of Baldwinsville.
The only two remaining freshmen teams are girls’ volleyball and boys’ football, Quimby said. Those survived, he said, as “an issue of fairness” because they are the only two sports that are only offered through the high school. The other sports that were cut are still offered in recreational programs in the community, Quimby said.
But for Baldwinsville coach Penafeather, those community sports lack the benefits of playing for a school. It’s a matter of pride, said Penafeather, for student athletes to put on their team jersey and represent their school, Penafeather said. Now, he said, few freshmen will get that chance.
- Liverpool Central School District:
Liverpool has a budget decrease of nearly $1.7 million — or 1.25 percent. Of that money, pupil services, which includes athletics, has lost $291,299 — or 4.99 percent. Because of this, all freshmen sports teams were cut, except for boys’ football and girls’ volleyball.
- North Syracuse Central School District:
For North Syracuse, the budget is down $2,942,029 — or 2.1 percent — in
comparison to the previous year, said Jerome Melvin, superintendent for North Syracuse. Like some of the other affected school districts, all freshmen sports teams were cut except for boys’ football and girls’ volleyball.
From Melvin’s perspective, the cuts hurt academics more. “The major impact,” he said, “was on instructional, support, and administrative functions.”
Without their school teams to play for, some freshmen are looking for opportunities with community groups. For example, Andrew Salmons of Cicero North Syracuse High had been expecting to play on his school’s freshman basketball team. Now that it’s been cut, he’ll try out for a Catholic Youth Organization team.
“You’ve got to look at it with a positive attitude and not just say, ‘I’m going to forget about basketball,’” Salmons said.
David Salmons, Andrew’s father, expresses concerns beyond the loss of sports. Andrew is more disciplined academically when he’s playing sports, David Salmons said. “Sports keep him on task and structured,” said David Salmons. And, he added, sports “teach him things like time management.”
(Lauren Malinowski is a graduate student in broadcast and digital journalism.)
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