Cuts to high school and middle school athletic department budgetsapproved in May by the Fairfax County School Board will begin to befelt next week, as schools open and sports seasons get underway.
In May, the board voted to eliminate boys' gymnastics as a varsitysport, to cut all middle and high school intramural activitiesfunding, and to significantly cut back travel costs for athleticteams as part of a $40 million package of system-wide cuts and feeincreases. The cuts will be felt by many students, county athleticdirectors say.
Varsity boys' gymnastics, which was cut because of dwindlingparticipation over the past few years (only about 100 boysparticipated in 2002), could be replaced by gymnastics on a 'clubsport' level. Coaches and judges could volunteer their time, or themoney to pay judges and coaches would have to be raised entirely byprivate fund raising. Transportation would most likely be in the formof carpooling.
Eric Kim, who coached Lake Braddock's gymnastics team to theVirginia AAA Northern Region championship in May, said he doubtsgymnastics will survive as a club sport because of the difficulty offinding quality coaches and judges who will work for little or nopay.
'Do [coaches] want to sacrifice all that time for no pay?' saidKim. 'I don't think so. I sent a letter to the judges who would bewilling to judge for gratis or a discounted rate, so we'll have towait and see.'
Herndon athletic director Bill Hildbold said individual schoolswould get to decide whether the existing gymnastics equipment can beused by club teams, but maintenance on such equipment -- essential ina sport that yields many injuries -- could become a problem since thecounty would not fund it. He also said club gymnastics would face a'space issue' as schools tried to find gymnasium time for meets.
As for intramural sports such as basketball, volleyball, ping-pong, weight training and badminton, the school gym has been open forstudents to participate after school hours until this school year.The county will no longer pay a staff member to supervise open gym.
'I think it will hit hard in September . . . where the kids startcoming to the gym in September and the lights are out. That's whenit's going to impact,' said Fairfax athletic director Pat Laing. 'Youonly have 40 percent of our kids playing [varsity or junior varsity]athletics in a school of 1,800 to 1,900 kids. The other 60 percentcount on open gym time. That's the thing that hurts. Some of them aregoing to be ending up in the malls just walking around.'
A few years ago, Laing said, funding was cut for intramural sportsat the spring budget meeting, but was re-allocated that fall. BrucePatrick, the Coordinator of Student Activities and Athletic Programsfor Fairfax County, said he does not foresee the same thing happeningthis year. Any intramural activities, he said, would have to besupervised by staff on a volunteer basis.
'It comes down to more people volunteering their time,' Hildboldsaid. 'Teachers, administrators . . . people are being asked to domore for less.'
The county will cut travel costs by eliminating the use ofcommercial buses to transport teams to away games. Only county buseswill be used, and since the buses must first take elementary, middle,and high school students home upon school dismissal, travel forafternoon games will be limited.
