Lake Local Schools cut back on sports funding

6/14/2007

Hockey, tennis, and bowling will no longer be funded in the Lake Local School District, and no coaching positions will be filled for those three sports.

Members of the Lake Local Board of Education decided unanimously last night to save $22,340 in the coming school year by not hiring coaches or paying travel expenses for those sports, which are not sanctioned by the Suburban Lakes League. Board President Eric Hirzel said the district opted not to fund the sports based on a cost-benefit analysis and a lack of enrollment in them.

Students signing up for other district sports, however, will see up to a 50 percent break on the district s pay-to-participate fees. The fees, which cost between $10 and $120 for the first sport or activity last year, generated $83,154 for the district.

The new fees, which range from $10 to $70 this coming school year, are expected to raise a little more than half that much, Mr. Hirzel said.