MHSAA Director: School Athletics Popularity Rises, but Cuts Threaten Quality

More students are participating in high school sports both nationally and in Michigan at a time when budgets cuts are eliminating athletic director positions and increasing the costs for parents, according to a blog post last week by Jack Roberts, the executive director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

The blog cites a study by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFSHSA) that shows high school sports participation increased in 2010-11 versus the year before. It was the 22nd consecutive year of increases.

The MHSAA story also says the NFSHSA conducted an attendance survey in 2009-10 that showed "there were more than a half billion spectators at high school sporting events across the country. There were more than two and a half times as many fans attending high school basketball and football contests as attended college and professional contests combined in those sports."

The MHSAA blog states concern that school budget cuts being made across the state could lead to an erosion of the quality of educational athletics.

"Less money for and less oversight of school sports is a combination tailor-made for problems – for ineligible students and forfeits, for crowd control and sportsmanship problems, and for injuries; and in all cases, for the controversies that follow. There are smarter places to make cuts in our schools and still turn out smart kids," according to the blog post.

Cuts have affected area schools and their athletic programs. after winter and spring sports programs were cut from the 2011-12 school year budget and funding for the fall sports would have ended after the fall 2011 season, affecting more than 2,000 student athletes at the district’s seven junior high schools. The seventh-and eighth-grade athletics program will survive for at least two more years after the board accepted the new plan, which includes an increase in student athletic participation fees.

Other districts have increased their pay-to-play fees, including West Bloomfield.

WBSD increased pay-to-play again this year for high school and middle school athletes. This year, a fee of $100 for a child playing a third sport is in place at the high school, while the third-sport fee is $50 for a middle school athlete. Students playing one sport in high school pay $300, while middle schoolers pay $200. High schoolers playing two sports pay an additional $150, while middle schoolers pay $100.

In addition, only one-way bus transportation is offered for athletes during the week, with the exception of football and track. Parents provide transportation on weekends.

WBSD is helping those on free and reduced lunch programs by giving them half-off of those fees.

Birmingham Schools raised per-student athletic fees by $10 to $20 per student, $110 to $120 per student for middle schoolers and $145 to $165 for high school students. Rochester Schools may charge $185 to $195 per athlete; Troy charges $175.

But some districts, , have managed to limit fees.

What do you think?

Are you upset about budget cuts to school athletic programs?

Or do you think this is a reality that school districts need to accept because of the economic climate?

Tim Rath contributed to this report.