CVHS Athletic Department continues to struggle with lack of funding
Support for fall, winter, and spring sports has slightly increased since last November, but as the end of the school year inches closer, it’s worrisome that no sport has fully been funded by athletic donations and cuts remain a possibility.
The final outcome of this year’s total funds will determine what measure will be taken the following year. No team cuts were made this year or will be made next year as long as all teams cooperate in meeting the amount of funds requested of their sport.
“We are hurting money wise, but we’re hopeful that we can make a push to the end of the year to increase the numbers and not have to cut anything,” stated athletic director Andy Popper.
The CVHS athletic program costs about $320,000 per year. Because the district no longer funds the program, the school has asked athletes’ families to contribute between $225 and $350, depending on the expense of the athletes’ sports.
Currently only 53 percent, $127,036, of the requested athletic donations have been received.
There have been many discussions about funding for the athletic program in the following 2015-2016 school year due to many variables such as increased costs and declining donations.
The district has now gotten involved. The athletic department hopes to receive money from the district in order to partially fund next year’s athletics. The money the district may or may not decide to grant will probably not be enough to fully fund the athletic program, but it will be beneficial considering the insufficient amount of money received through athletic donations this school year.
The athletic department won’t know the district’s decision until this coming May. Following the outcome of the district’s decision, the athletic department will have a month to figure out if they have sufficient funds to run next year’s athletic program how it normally would. If cuts are needed, the first will affect transportation, Popper said.
School officials hope to avoid cutting entire teams but that’s a possibility if the families do not donate to support the athletic program.
These are the amounts the teams have raised through mid-April, as reported by the finance office:
Fall Sports:
Football: 61 percent funded, $16,653 in donations/ fundraising, $27,300 requested
Girls Golf: 83 percent funded, $1,349 in donations/ fundraising, $1,625 requested
Girls Tennis: 99 percent funded, $9,578 in donations/ fundraising, $9,675 requested
Girls Volleyball: 69 percent funded, $7,211 in donations/ fundraising, $10,450 requested
Cross Country: 69 percent funded, $9,005 in donations/ fundraising, $13,050 requested
Cheer/Dance funded: 63 percent, $8,222 in donations/ fundraising, $13,050 requested
Winter Sports:
Boys Basketball: 32 percent funded, $3,848 in donations/ fundraising, $12,025 requested
Girls Basketball: 54 percent funded, $4,590 in donations/ fundraising, $8,500 requested
Boys Soccer: 54 percent funded, $7,128 in donations/ fundraising, $13,200 requested
Girls Soccer: 91 percent funded, $10,761 in donations/ fundraising, $11,825 requested
Boys wrestling: 46 percent funded, $3,335 in donations/ fundraising, $7,250 requested
Girls wrestling: 40 percent funded, $650 in donations/fundraising, $1,625 requested
Spring Sports:
Softball: 31 percent funded, $3,526 in donations/ fundraising, $11,375 requested
Baseball: 62 percent funded, $10,881 in donations/ fundraising, $17,550 requested
Track: 26 percent funded, $7,664 in donations/ fundraising, $29,475 requested
Swim/Diving: 49 percent funded, $11,123 in donations/ fundraising, $22,700 requested
Boys Volleyball: 14 percent funded, $539 in donations/ fundraising, $3,850 requested
Badminton: 9 percent funded, $932 in donations/ fundraising, $10,350 requested
Boys Golf: 59 percent funded, $1,534 in donations/ fundraising, $2,600 requested
Boys Tennis: 71 percent funded, $5,591 in donations/ fundraising, $7,875 requested
Graphic by Anna Nguyen