What would people think if ISD 166 added a new sport during a budget crisis? Perhaps they would think it was a good idea if they knew the Cook County Tennis Association would be funding it.
The Cook County Tennis Association has made a commitment to fund and run a varsity tennis program at no cost to the district other than the time it would take for Athletic Director Pam Taylor to file team rosters with the Minnesota State High School League.
Proposed are a fall tennis program for 7th through 12th grade girls and a spring tennis program for 7th through 12th grade boys. Teams of at least seven players would be needed to qualify for Section 7 Class A competition. Participant fees would be $100.
In a recent survey of CCHS students, 39 students said they would be interested in joining a tennis team if it was a school sport, although over 100 kids in grades K-8 participate each year in the local tennis association’s U.S.T.A. tennis program.
On Tuesday, March 27, 2010, Superintendent Schwarz recommended to the school board that the school add the tennis program but not until fall 2011. She feared that even though the district would not pay for the program, adding it might affect public perception and reduce the number of people who would vote for a school levy in next fall’s referendum.
“Well, I think we should do it,” Leonard Sobanja said, since it won’t cost the district anything. The consultant that helped them in their superintendent search told them to try to get outside community support for as many athletic activities as possible, he said.
Eric Kemp believed the reasons for adding tennis were greater than the reasons against it. “This can be looked at as a many, many thousand dollar donation to this school district,” he said.
“I have never, ever seen so many letters of support for an issue as I have for this,” Mary Sanders said.
Community member Mark Summers said this type of partnership could be a positive way to demonstrate how the district and the community are finding creative ways to offer programs in the midst of a budget crisis.
“This would be evidence of your fiscal responsibility,” said tennis parent Tim Scannell.
A motion to approve the tennis program, contingent on a written agreement with the Cook County Tennis Association, passed with three aye votes and one nay vote from Mary Sanders (Rod Wannebo was absent.). Sanders said she voted no out of concern that negative public perception could affect passage of the referendum.
Theprogram will start this fall.
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