Pasco County recommends athletic budget cuts
Pasco County athletic programs could see a reduction in contests and the elimination of some coaching positions in a cost cutting measure that would result in a 5 percent cut or roughly $76,000 in proposed savings.
Golf and cross country face the greatest change with proposals to reduce each sport by two contests and to eliminate one coaching supplement leaving one paid coach to oversee the boys and girls teams. Also on the table is the elimination of diving coaches for swimming.
Other varsity sports facing a two contest reduction are swimming, track and weightlifting.
Junior varsity sports such as basketball, volleyball and wrestling could lose as
many as four contests while JV soccer, baseball, softball and wrestling could each lose two contests.
Major varsity sports such as football, basketball, baseball and softball were not mentioned.
-- IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com
The St. Petersburg Times High School Sports blog is written and compiled by the Times preps sports staff from Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties. We invite your participation in the comments area.
how can they cut back on track meets?? we barely have any as there is and then they get rained out too so will we end up with 5 meets a year??? jv basketball loses 4 games???? It is like it is becoming middle school again....
Posted by: bryan | June 07, 2008 at 08:38 PM
The graduation rate for children in sports is higher than any other activity. Pass the $76,000 on to the parents from the figures provided by the school district athletes would have to pay $11 more. My daughter is a cheerleader and the fees are close to $1000 yet to play sports the fees are $100 in high schools, $75 in middle schools.
Posted by: David | May 23, 2008 at 02:03 PM
What about the kids/ teenagers??? Have we forgot what sports does for the them? Keeping sports in schools, keeps kids in schools. Sports teach self determination, teaches how to set goals and the after effect shows them what self gratification feels like in a positive manner.
Posted by: Dana Henson | May 22, 2008 at 10:49 AM
varsity sports make the money for the schools
leave them alone and cut jv slightly
big savings
Posted by: | May 21, 2008 at 06:33 PM
Pinellas should make similar cuts.
Posted by: come on wilcox.... | May 21, 2008 at 06:02 PM
Pinellas already got rid of JV baseball, just losing 4 games is pretty tame for Pasco
Posted by: | May 21, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Easiest (and best) cut for Pasco to make:
Every head football coach gets an extra $5000 for working with their team in the summer. No other sports have coaches that receive this supplement, even if they work with their teams year-round. Getting rid of this would be a savings of $55,000 per year.
But wait, this will never happen. We're dealing with football, Pasco county's least successful sport. Instead, we'll force non-football athletes to suffer.
Posted by: | May 21, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Pinellas County will be next!!!!!
Posted by: | May 21, 2008 at 11:43 AM