Stevens Point board approves girls wrestling coach stipend and adds SPASH boys lacrosse for 2025-26

The Stevens Point Area Public School District on March 10 approved two new athletic actions: a girls wrestling head-coach stipend and a school-sponsored boys lacrosse team at Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH) beginning in the 2025-26 school year.

The board approved adding a girls wrestling head-coach stipend to the district’s coaching schedule, with the position to begin in 2025-26. Board members discussed growing girls participation in wrestling and the logistical needs of a separate girls schedule under new Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) rules. Administrators said the stipend will allow the district to hire a coach who can build the girls program, manage schedules and logistics, and coordinate transportation and events.

Public commenters and district speakers described lacrosse as a fast-growing sport and urged a cooperative approach in some circumstances. The board voted to approve a SPASH-based boys lacrosse team as a WIAA-sanctioned sport for 2025-26 rather than entering an immediate multi-district co-op. Administration said a school-based team keeps school control over fees, scheduling and playing opportunities for SPASH students and simplifies logistics compared with a co-op model.

Administrators told the board they had collected interest data before the vote. A district family survey returned roughly 300 responses, and a follow-up student survey to eighth- through 11th-graders received 255 responses; administrators reported 50 students marked strong interest (the transcript reports 16 female respondents among those 50). Administrators said the student response and regional interest supported starting a school-based program now; they also outlined the May 1 WIAA deadline and the paperwork required for any cooperative-team application.

Public commenters at the meeting urged a two-year co-op to ensure roster depth and mentorship for newer players. TJ Phyllis, who coaches youth lacrosse, urged a co-op saying “By making this a coop team, you are automatically gaining 10 to 12 more players, putting us closer to the solid program numbers that we need to succeed.” Wendy Kowalski, whose son plays lacrosse, asked the board to “consider starting the SPASH team as a co-op team” to boost numbers and resources for the program’s launch.

Board members discussed program sustainability, the need for outreach and youth development to build roster depth, and whether a SPASH-based team could create stronger school identity and stable logistics. Several board members said they favored starting as a school team now and pursuing a co-op later if needed; others said they supported co-ops in communities whose schools could not field teams on their own.

The motions passed in separate votes. The board approved the girls wrestling head coach stipend; the board also approved establishing a SPASH boys lacrosse team as a WIAA-sanctioned varsity sport beginning in 2025-26 (the lacrosse motion passed with one recorded dissent). Administrators said next steps include posting coach positions, promoting the program, finalizing conference affiliation and completing WIAA registration and scheduling.

The board and administrators emphasized that student access and opportunities at SPASH were central to the decisions: administrators said a school-based team lets the district control costs and remove fiscal barriers so families without means can participate.

Clarifying details captured in discussion: the WIAA requires a May 1 application deadline for cooperative teams; a co-op application must specify at least two school years and carry signatures from each participating school board and superintendent; cooperative teams may affect classification and tournament eligibility because total enrollment of all participating schools is used for classification; and cooperative applications require agreement on finances, transportation and coaching, among other items.

Board actions on athletics now require administration to prepare hiring and promotion materials, finalize budgets and begin promotion to students and families so coaches can be hired and schedules finalized ahead of spring and summer planning.