District 1 looks at alternative funding for school sports

Yuma Elementary School District 1 scrambled to find alternative funding to keep sports programs wide open for another season Wednesday as parents, coaches, administrators and students brainstormed at district offices.

Darwin Stiffler, District 1 superintendent, said there was currently no identified funding to support athletics for the 2009-10 fiscal year.

"I know I and the governing board support athletics," Stiffler said. "We're still making sure we have funds for teachers. But we're absolutely open to alternative funding."

Stiffler explained that in January the state Legislature cut $6.6 million from District 1's current budget and further reductions are expected for next year as a result of the downturn in the economy.

For this school year, District 1 athletics included softball, basketball, soccer, track, and for girls, volleyball, and boys, wrestling. And it costs $175,000 per year to keep the current program going, so without creating some optional funding, sports will be suspended, he said.

One alternative means of funding he highlighted was Arizona's tax credit law. In 1997, lawmakers provided residents a dollar-for-dollar credit to deduct up to $400 per year for each couple who donates to school extracurricular activities. Last year Yumans contributed $114,297 for District 1 through the program.

"Of course we need to ramp up the tax credits," Stiffler said.

He also outlined a "pay-to-play" plan, where parents could contribute anywhere from $28 to $40 per student to fund athletics, which would cover the cost of sports officials but not coaches.

"State funding cuts are not temporary and will be in place for several years," he said. "Whatever plan we put in place, it needs wide participation and (to be) sustained for several years."

There were no objections to his recommendations from anyone attending the meeting. Tami Harmon, a parent with a child at Castle Dome Middle School, said parents were willing to do anything to keep sports going.

"If each District 1 school got 100 families to take the $400 a year tax credit that would be enough to fund sports for a year," she said.

"What is taught in the classroom carries over to the sports field and it will motivate kids to keep their grades up. And you never know, but some could win a scholarship but they can't if they don't learn the fundamentals of sports."

Frances Griego, with one child each at Gila Vista Junior High School and Rolle Elementary School, said her husband officiates at baseball and basketball games, some as a volunteer and some as a paid official. He would volunteer all the time if the district were faced with the possibility of no athletics, she said, and many others would also step up to the plate.

Griego also suggested schools could offer food concessions and charge nominal admission to raise necessary funds.

Yet another cost savings was offered by Laurel Jordan, soccer coach for Gila Ridge High School. Jordan advocates a two-tiered system of athletics. The first is a skills/training tier where athletes play intermural games and have a tournament between squads at the end of the season.

The second tier would be a competitive one in which athletes would have to qualify for a spot on teams that play interscholastic games at the end of the skills tier season.

This would save on transportation and volunteers save on coaching expenses.

Stiffler pointed out that current rules require all coaches be certified personnel but the district is exploring ways to allow qualified volunteers to coach. He added he will pass on recommendations to the board and if parents want to drive the alternative funding programs the district will do it. Another meeting outlining parameters will take place at 6 p.m., Tuesday at the Fourth Avenue Junior High School gym.

"District 1 believes in sports but the funding crisis is real and we have to live within our budget," he said.

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William Roller can be reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.