So we add on these huge fieldhouses and improve a bunch of the athletic facilities and now the board is going to look at cutting teams? This seems a bit a$$ backwards in my opinion.

You may not get volunteer coaches (although several of the private schools that consistenly show up in Madison for the state basketball tournament seem to be able to find them but do you really need ot pay someone $15-20/hour to run the scoreboard, call lines, move the chains, man the PA system etc?

billy,
I agree with your idea of volunteer coaches but after about 2 years their won't be an volunteers. Think about how those coaches are treated...Who would volunteer for that? If you can't get volunteers for a youth baseball team how will you find them for a HS sport...especially HS Varsity sport.
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All that said the pay is minimal so maybe I am COMPLETELY wrong.

bignik - thanks for sharing. You hit the nail on the head. Sports and other groups/clubs help keep kids in school!

http://www.wiaawi.org/index.php?id=521

Something many of you should view!

Here's a thought. Allow people who are willing to volunteer to coach, run the scoreboard, keep the scorebook, call lines a Vball games, run the chains at football games, etc.

bignik has it right! Just watch how many kids transfer to a school district that has sports!

Doc - 2 freshman football teams - light weight and heavy weight (BOYS). 2 frehman volleyball teams - @ Parker they are the Green and Gold teams, @ Craig they are the Blue and White teams (GIRLS).

What is more important, up to date text books or new balls to play with?

Doc0430, I understand what you are trying to say, however, too many parents in the this city do not take responsibility in raising their children or watching over them. That is why teachers are more than just teachers in the classroom. Schools do much more today than ever before.

In the end, if you don't have supportive, responsible parents, and then you cut activities, athletics, and programs that give kids a place to go after school, then we will ultimately pay for it in the form of Juvenile Detention or Jail costs. Yes, the families with money will continue to play sports and be in activities, but those that may need the support most will not. You can use the old "We'll have scholorships for the less fortunate," but most times that doesn't work. Many families will pass on a scholarship because they feel embarrassed.

We do pay a fee in the high schools for our kids to play sports from freshman year to senior year. If your kid plays a sport you pay a fee.

TJ and doc.............You just don't get it here.......No sports, do you really think little Johnny and Suzie will be going to school in Janeville? You take away athletics, be it Middle School or High School, and then you see how many kids the SDJ loses......Then you can REALLY harp about taxes going up!!

I'm sorry but I don't see the logic in cutting out essential academic supplies and requiring teachers to take unpaid furlough days yet freshman sports make the cut. The parents that have children involved in these sports should pay a participation fee and make them self-supporting.

Allfor1and1forAll
Jul 29, 2010 at 10:19 p.m.
Suggest removal
Middle school athletics is crucial in keeping kids off the streets-
No its up to the parents of these kids to be responsible and know what their kids are doing! If they do not want to be responsible then maybe they shouldn't have had kids in the first place. Why is it the taxpayers responsibility to make sure they don't have to watch them and know what they are up to after school?

Sorry 3rd paragraph, heres how it reads~Football and volleyball each have two freshman teams. One of those freshman teams in each sport was on the chopping block as the school board considered budget cuts Tuesday.

So according to the first paragraph here, there's a Womens Freshman Football team?? I re-read it 3 times to see if I was imagining things.... When did this start???

So let me get this straight, the board approved money to save the freshman sport teams, but did not approve middle school textbooks. What is the priority? Apparently it's sports and not education!!!

Middle school athletics is crucial in keeping kids off the streets and in the classroom. They have five seasons. Charge even $5 or $10 per season and you'd get quite a bit. They currently don't charge anything at the middle school level. This could easily raise $10,000 at each school if $10 was charged for each sport.

Watch out now for cuts in the so-called "non-revenue" sports. If your kids are involved in tennis, golf, etc. you had better keep your eyes and ears open.

I know things have to change but increasing or taking away sports is not the answer. It keeps kids busy and out of trouble. Increasing fees would be a hardship for many and a disservice to the kids.

I feel as though the Board's job is to set the budget and allow those hired and paid by the district to figure out how best to meet that budget. Having the School Board micro manage such things as to whether or not there should be two football teams or a middle school track meet seems silly.