Manchester athletics leaders warn budget squeeze could stall planned expansions; transportation and coaches remain constraints

Manchester School District athletics staff told the Special Committee on Athletics on April 9 that spring sports have largely started as planned but that a constrained city budget, persistent driver and coach shortages, and venue and volunteer limits threaten proposed program expansions for 2025–26.

At a committee meeting Wednesday, Ms. Teljohn, athletics department staff, reported that middle school spring offerings currently include four softball teams, three baseball teams and four track-and-field teams, and that all high school teams are “fully rostered” except one junior-varsity baseball squad at Central West, which had 20 registered players. She said flag football registrations were among the highest at the middle school level and that Memorial High School had about 36 girls who want to play softball.

The program’s growth is colliding with operational limits, Teljohn said: “There continue to be challenges with filling coaching positions,” and district officials are also contending with bus-driver shortages and scheduling limits that force many spring contests into the same late-afternoon window. She said the district has hired additional larger buses and was awaiting a small-bus delivery, but driver availability remains the principal constraint.

Why it matters: Committee members and staff said the city’s decision not to fund a roughly $9.5 million increase the district sought will put hard choices on next week’s full School Committee agenda and could force officials to delay or roll back proposed athletics expansions that had been planned for 2025–26.

Committee discussion focused on three intertwined constraints: transportation, coaches/officials and how expanding school-based offerings affects community partner leagues. Teljohn and other staff emphasized that adding offerings at the school level can reduce registration at volunteer-run community leagues, which in turn weakens the feeder system the district relies on for younger athletes.

Budget and expansion proposals: District staff described a proposed athletics budget increase that included roughly $90,000 in recurring program additions (listed by staff as middle school baseball, middle school softball, middle school wrestling and middle school unified basketball, plus a planned high school unified track expansion) and an additional smaller line (about $18,000) tied to expanded sports offerings. Staff noted the Red Sox Foundation provided a grant this year that funded middle school baseball and softball programming, but the permanent funding for the broader expansion was to be included in next year’s operating budget.

Committee members warned that cuts could be deep. A committee speaker noted the city holds roughly $12.4 million in rainy-day reserves and that last year the district used about $9 million in one-time funds; missing the mayor’s proposed appropriation could leave athletics and other student services vulnerable. “I would never support pay to play,” said Committee member Potter, arguing that charge-based participation would disproportionately affect low-income students. District staff also cautioned that pay-to-play models in other areas typically supplement — not replace — district funding and that even modest per-player fees would not cover existing program subsidies: one staff member estimated the district subsidizes roughly $465 per team spot annually (excluding transportation and overhead).

Operational constraints and local impacts: Staff reported several specific operational challenges: Hillside middle school drew about 90 girls to track and field tryouts, but the school had one paid coach and limited meet entry slots, so the coach kept around 45 athletes for competition. Parkside has a full middle school softball team; West currently has 11 players on its softball roster. Teljohn said cooperative high school teams (co-ops) follow NHIAA rules and typically run on a two-year cycle; she warned that mid-cycle changes can be denied by the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association and can affect divisional placement.

Transportation logistics drove much of the conversation. Staff said many high school meets require two buses; large middle school track teams may need a full bus each, limiting shared runs. The district has been evaluating smaller bus usage and potential policy changes to allow approved parents or coaches to drive for small teams, with a follow-up presentation promised to the committee next month. Carpooling remains available under an existing district policy for preapproved drivers with signed liability forms.

Community partners: Staff and committee members stressed the importance of local volunteer leagues and community partners to sustain participation, especially at elementary levels that feed middle and high school teams. The loss of a partner league, they said, can erode the feeder pipeline even when school programs are strong.

Formal actions at the meeting were limited to routine business: the committee approved the meeting minutes and voted to adjourn. No formal decisions were made about program cuts or expansions; the full School Committee is scheduled to discuss districtwide budget options on April 14.

Looking ahead: Staff said the committee will receive additional information about transportation options and driver staffing next month and that any decision on program expansions or cuts will be made by the full School Committee after broader budget deliberations.