No Sports in Duval County Schools Next Year? (Jacksonville, Miami: insurance, day care)

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by buddy5

I think the real issue is;

How come Duval is the only county in a state of over 60, to (maybe) terminate sports?

Mayber our school board has some deeper issues?

We are not alone. This is a USA Today article from 2009 - *before* the federal stimulus money dried up:

States across the nation pinch their pennies to save athletics - USATODAY.com

It says in part:

Florida: ...Florida school athletic programs were looking at massive cuts to varsity and junior varsity game schedules, and the elimination of some programs altogether. But the athletic programs were saved from massive cuts by a $2.7 billion injection of federal stimulus money into school district operational budgets...Nonetheless, several school districts are still playing abbreviated schedules..Polk County Schools shortened its playing schedule and won't bus their athletes out of the county...Miami-Dade, Orange and Broward County are playing shorter schedules, as well..Indian River County has asked its smaller sports programs to each raise $1,500 to cover expenses like referees and travel. And other counties have adopted pay-to-play policies. For example, Volusia County charges students $75 per sport and $100 for two. Osceola County charges a $20-30 "participation fee."

I think that 6 months from now - most Florida counties will be dealing with these issues. Robyn

P.S. I think this blog post made a lot of sense:

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog...s-duval-county

And the numbers kind of surprised me - almost $500 for every kid who participates in a school sport. That's a lot.

[Robyn55]

P.S. If you google "school cuts athletics" - you'll find lots of articles like this one:

Sacramento School Board Cuts Athletics, Clubs*|*Pocket Online

This isn't a problem that's unique to Florida. Robyn

[buddy5]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

P.S. If you google "school cuts athletics" - you'll find lots of articles like this one:

Sacramento School Board Cuts Athletics, Clubs*|*Pocket Online

This isn't a problem that's unique to Florida. Robyn

My kids have been involved in athletics since the middle 80s, I
have been involved in coaching youth athletics since the late 70s,
there has always been costs. As of now, Duval is the only county
talking about eliminating all our sports, in Florida. Sports families
know about budget and transpotation. The alternative to sports,
is idle minds, and bodies. Historically, not a good scenario for
adolescents.

Our school board has some tough choices, no doubt. All of the
other counties can do it, why can't we?

[Robyn55]

The more I thought about it - that $500 number is shocking. An extra $500 for the less than 10% of Duval County students who play in organized sports. At the same time that PE for *all* kids is being reduced/eliminated. Every year - when I remember - I contribute school supplies to a group that collects and distributes things like pencils and paper and composition books to kids who can't afford these meager school basics (it's actually kind of fun to see how far your money will go shopping the "super back to school sales" at places like Target). Give me $500 - and I could probably buy a year's worth of school supplies for over 25 kids. I think that perhaps our priorities are all messed up. Robyn

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by buddy5

My kids have been involved in athletics since the middle 80s, I
have been involved in coaching youth athletics since the late 70s,
there has always been costs. As of now, Duval is the only county
talking about eliminating all our sports, in Florida. Sports families
know about budget and transpotation. The alternative to sports,
is idle minds, and bodies. Historically, not a good scenario for
adolescents.

Our school board has some tough choices, no doubt. All of the
other counties can do it, why can't we?

If you read the article - you can see that many other counties in Florida are reducing sports - or going to "pay to play" (I learned from the FTU that St. Johns County is pay to play - learned from the USA Today article that Volusia County is pay to play too - I'm sure there are other counties in Florida in that category as well - and that there will be more in the future).

I agree that physical activity is important - especially for kids. But I put PE for all kids ahead of something like a high school football or basketball or golf team.

FWIW - I know families who have/had kids involved in school sports - and you're right. They frequently spend a lot of time and money to go to things like soccer matches around the state. At some point - more than a few hope their kid's team will lose so they don't have to go to Tampa next weekend . If these parents want to do this - and pay for it - fine. But I don't want to pay for it - not when I see high school kids who can't figure out that if limes are 3 for 99 cents - that one costs 33 cents.

Also - what is wrong with "unorganized" activities - like running. We could have a basic 1/4 mile track at every Florida school and have every kid run for 15-30 minutes a day (my husband is a "retired" runner - and he never needed a track - but you don't want to risk having your kid run over by a car during a jog). Or a gym where 1 teacher could lead 50-100 kids in calisthenics? You know - sit-ups - jumping jacks - that's the kind of PE I had when I was a kid. Or after-hours sand lot softball? That would be cheap - and would go a long way in terms of improving the physical fitness of all students.

FWIW - I understand that major college teams are now frequently nothing more than a free training ground for professional sports teams. But what's the deal with high schools? I can't quote you %'s - but I doubt that one out of ten thousand kids who participates in high school varsity sports even gets close to being a professional athlete. A much higher % require orthopedic surgery when they're kids (10th graders shouldn't be throwing hundreds/thousands of knuckle-balls).

So what's the goal here? Improving physical fitness for all kids - or satisfying the south's insatiable lust for football (although I have lived in Florida for 40 years - I don't understand the football thing - although I know it certainly does exist). Robyn

P.S. And the idea of having a company like Pepsi/Frito Lay (sugary drinks and salty snacks) or similar sponsoring high school sports is ridiculous IMO.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by fsquid

sweet, i'm a product of #48. This is as of 2007, maybe FSU has a more updated one?

This was 2007 data that the federal government got around to publishing in 2009. What state are you talking about? Robyn

[fsquid]

I'm a product of West TN.

[buddy5]

The football thing is the number one moneymaker for all the college teams in the nation. If Jacksonville does not have organized high school sports, good athletes will move away who are counting on scholarships to go to college. My kids got scholarships and paid for 90% of their costs in school. Florida is between first and third in the nation in producing athletes for sports.

You don't get good at sports in PE. It takes years of coaching instruction and playing to get that far. That's bad for girls too. Gender Equity gives an equal number of athletic scholarships to girls as boys.

Maybe 1% of high school athletes play pro ball. College, maybe 5% of the elite programs kids play pros.

[wb3690]

We were discussing this very issue last night. Our principal (clay county one) is pretty much under the impression that most of the major sports won't be wiped out.....that sponsorships/booster packages/pay to play will save them.

We actually discussed the fact that while we dont have to fundraise as much as we did last year because we have all the equipment purchased, seats installed etc the money will go more towards building the program. They want to possibly instill some sort of pay to play for football to offset things like team meals, player packages (shorts/tshirts etc) so parents aren't having to fundraise more often (which is limited) and the school isn't paying out of pocket whenthey can't afford it.

Should be interesting, but I think many school districts will face this soon.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by buddy5

The football thing is the number one moneymaker for all the college teams in the nation. If Jacksonville does not have organized high school sports, good athletes will move away who are counting on scholarships to go to college. My kids got scholarships and paid for 90% of their costs in school. Florida is between first and third in the nation in producing athletes for sports.

You don't get good at sports in PE. It takes years of coaching instruction and playing to get that far. That's bad for girls too. Gender Equity gives an equal number of athletic scholarships to girls as boys.

Maybe 1% of high school athletes play pro ball. College, maybe 5% of the elite programs kids play pros.

Actually - most college football teams lose money. And the finances of the small number of elite football schools are kind of interesting. Here's the financial report from UF Gainesville:

http://www.uaa.ufl.edu/uaa/Executive..._2009-2010.pdf

It's not done in accordance with GAAP standards - but it does provide some insights. Notice the large amount of debt (almost $85 million) - apparently financed by bonds. After all is said and done - the University itself doesn't really get that much. And UF doesn't need sports to attract students these days. High private school tuition rates and the number of students who have pre-paid tuition plans guarantee that UF will have large numbers of applicants for every available opening.

FWIW - I'm kind of a "friend" of UF - and I know a few professors who are losing funding for important research. One of the best teaching/research professors at UF left last year for a school that will fund his research - and allow him to teach. Don't even know whether his new school has a football team - and I'm sure that our friend (and his students - both his new ones and the ones he left behind at UF) don't care. Robyn