ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 20, 1996 TAG: 9612200038
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Fewer fans are coming out for football and basketball games at Patrick Henry and William Fleming high schools.
And more students are going out for soccer, tennis, girls' volleyball, softball and other non-revenue producing sports.
The result: the Roanoke high schools' athletic funds have run up a deficit that will reach $130,000 by the end of this school year.
And taxpayers apparently will have to make up the losses to prevent a reduction in the athletic programs and possible elimination of some sports.
Superintendent Wayne Harris has recommended that the School Board provide a special appropriation of $65,000 in each of the next two years to cover the deficit.
"The elimination of the deficit is critical to the viability of high school athletic competition for students," Harris said.
Rising transportation costs and declining financial support by booster clubs also are factors in the deficits, school officials said.
Patrick Henry's deficit is expected to be nearly $95,000 by the end of the school year, and William Fleming's, $35,000.
The schools have to pay all transportation expenses for teams. Because of higher fuel costs and more trips, about 25 percent of the athletic budgets is earmarked for transportation, said Richard Kelley, assistant superintendent for operations.
The athletic budget for each school is approximately $95,000 a year. But the schools expect to receive only $70,000 to $75,000 in gate receipts and other revenues this school year.
The revenues include an annual $25,331 appropriation to each school from the School Board for athletics. The board has made a similar contribution for several years.
Harris has no complaint about school officials' management of the athletic accounts and doesn't think this is a factor in the deficits.
"The central problem is that we don't get enough from the gate receipts [from football and basketball] to cover the expenses of the other sports," Harris said.
Patrick Henry has 20 sports teams and William Fleming has 17 - ranging from cross country, soccer and track to girls' softball and volleyball. But the schools must rely mainly on gate receipts from football and a smaller amount from boys' basketball to fund their athletic programs.
The schools have to buy the uniforms and equipment for all sports, pay the referees, hire ticket collectors, pay for transportation and other expenses.
"I am deeply troubled by this situation. The economics are going against us," said John Saunders, vice chairman of the board. "We need to develop a plan to prevent these deficits so we can continue to offer all of these sports."
Saunders has asked school officials for a report on the cost of each team and number of students participating in each.
Harris' recommendation for making up the deficits will solve the immediate problem, Saunders said, but "we've got to find a way to deal with the ongoing situation."
Howard Light, director of physical education and athletics for city schools, said football gate receipts at Patrick Henry and William Fleming have been lower in recent years than in Salem, Franklin County, George Washington High in Danville and several other schools he contacted.
"Our teams have been down. The crowds follow a winning team," said Charles Day, a board member.
But Chairwoman Marsha Ellison said Patrick Henry has had a winning record in recent years and was co-champion of the Roanoke Valley District in 1995.
Harris said he thinks it's important for the high schools to have viable athletic programs because they can help reduce absenteeism among students.
Studies show that many students stay interested in school and have better attendance if they compete in athletics or pursue other extracurricular activities.
To help encourage middle school students to participate in athletics and other after-school activities, Harris has recommended that the board provide $54,000 to pay for activity buses next year.
The buses would provide transportation home for students after games and practices or extracurricular activities in the afternoons.
Harris also has proposed an increase in pay supplements for teachers who are involved in extracurricular activities, especially athletic coaches, because the city's supplements have fallen below those paid in similar school districts. The coaches are paid with board funds, not with the schools' athletic funds.
LENGTH: Medium: 84 linesby CNB