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Revere athletics director warns of shrinking participation; offers cuts and outreach options
Summary
Athletics director reported falling participation in several junior‑varsity sports, proposed cost‑savings and suggested more middle‑school outreach and co‑ops to sustain programs.
The Revere athletics director told the school committee on April 15 that participation in many junior‑varsity programs has declined since the pandemic and outlined proposals to sustain offerings while containing costs.
At the meeting, the director said the district currently offers 27 of 31 MIA spring sports but that only about 36% of students participate in athletics; excluding indoor and outdoor track, the participation rate falls to roughly 25%. He listed recent reductions in sub‑varsity programs, including junior varsity baseball, junior varsity softball, junior varsity girls and boys lacrosse, and junior varsity field hockey.
The director said several factors contribute to the decline: competing programs at nearby private and vocational schools, strong student interest in nonathletic programs such as robotics and JROTC, and family constraints including work schedules and caregiving responsibilities.
He described a pilot addition this year of girls’ flag football, which drew about 40 tryouts and a roster of 18. The New England Patriots organization covered most fees, uniforms and equipment for that program; the district’s only projected cost for flag football this year is roughly $4,000 for bussing.
To address falling numbers, the director proposed multiple steps: more aggressive middle‑school outreach and summer clinics; expanding PE exposure to nontraditional sports so students know about them before high school; renegotiating expensive co‑ops and the hockey co‑op per‑student cost; combining girls and boys cross country if numbers stay low; increasing eighth‑grade waivers where appropriate; and cutting or consolidating low‑impact assistant stipends (18 assistant stipends at $1,000 each were highlighted for review). He also floated eliminating an assistant golf position and, in deeper cuts if necessary, consolidating sub‑varsity roles.
Committee members expressed concern about cutting coaching positions given supervision and logistical needs, and urged deeper engagement with middle schools, summer offerings and city recreation programs. Member Kingston noted the practical challenge the district faces when a coach is the only adult on a bus with students and urged caution on reductions that might leave teams understaffed.
The director said any shutdowns would be considered season‑by‑season and that he would prefer to keep doors open for programs to return if interest rebounds. He said decisions about cuts would be gradual and would aim to preserve varsity offerings where possible.
No formal votes were taken; the presentation was positioned as a status report and a prompt for budget and program discussions.
