After surviving last year without having to cut any sports, Live
Oak High
’s athletic program is on the chopping block again. According to
Live Oak Athletic Director Mark Cummins, the future of the three
varsity and junior varsity sports, along with all freshman sports,
that had their coaching stipends cut last year remains up in the
air. “We just don’t know where t
he money is going to come from,” Cummins said. “The (Live Oak)
boosters club isn’t committing to funding these sports again and
the (boosters club) golf (tournament fundraiser) numbers are down.
So, we’ll have to see.”
After surviving last year without having to cut any sports, Live Oak High’s athletic program is on the chopping block again.
According to Live Oak Athletic Director Mark Cummins, the future of the three varsity and junior varsity sports, along with all freshman sports, that had their coaching stipends cut last year remains up in the air.
“We just don’t know where the money is going to come from,” Cummins said. “The (Live Oak) boosters club isn’t committing to funding these sports again and the (boosters club) golf (tournament fundraiser) numbers are down. So, we’ll have to see.”
Cummins said the issue would be discussed at a Live Oak coaches’ meeting on Tuesday.
At issue is the $25,000 in coaching stipends for varsity and JV tennis, golf and diving (although there are rarely enough players in these sports to field JV squads), as well as all freshman sports, that were cut by the Morgan Hill Unified School District last year.
After saving all those sports last year by raising the money needed to pay the coaches through the golf tourney, the Live Oak boosters have not promised to do the same this year, according to Boosters Club President Pam Mom.
“We did commit to last year and last year alone,” Mom said. “Anything else is up for review. We did not commit to paying this year. I think they’re assuming we’ll do it again.”
Mom said the community’s response thus far has been lukewarm and the LOHS golf tourney, scheduled for Sept. 18, is lagging behind in both participants and sponsors.
She said much of the community doesn’t seem to be aware that the sports could be cut, but she added that locals should be aware of how important athletics are to many students.
“I feel in a community like Morgan Hill, there has to be a way to save sports,” she said. “They’re saving our kids in school.”
Meanwhile, this fall the Acorn girls tennis and golf teams are still practicing in preparation for the season despite no guaranteed funding for their coaches’ stipends.
Acorn girls tennis coach Ignacio Herrera, who also coaches the boys team, said the uncertainty about the coaching stipends won’t change his approach.
“I don’t want to see the program die down,” he said. “I think they’ll work it out one way or another.”
The Live Oak boosters are currently conducting a search for a fundraising chair.
