Board approves overnight lacrosse trip to Orlando; trustees and superintendent pledge to assist students who lack funds

The board voted to approve an overnight trip for the Tecumseh High School lacrosse team to Orlando, Florida, in March 2025 after hearing details from the coach and trustees.

Coach presentation and logistics: the team plans to practice and participate in events in the Orlando area and practice at Dr. Phillips High School; families are responsible for travel costs, with a mix of flights and carpooling expected. The coach said approximately 20–25 players and 25–30 adults planned to travel; any students without a parent or guardian attending would be chaperoned by families who volunteered to host or by coaching staff.

Trustee concerns: several trustees said they supported the trip but expressed concern about equity for students who could not afford to participate. Trustees asked whether scholarships or district support were available; the coach said some families declined because of cost and that fundraising had not yet fully addressed those gaps. Trustees and the superintendent urged the coach to coordinate with the fan club, booster groups and district staff to identify scholarships and fundraising opportunities.

District response: Superintendent Matt Hilton said he would work with Coach Trout, the fan club and the athletic director to find immediate fundraising options and to formalize a process so future overnight trips include advance planning for students who need financial assistance. The board approved the trip by roll call vote.

Ending: Trustees asked athletics staff to include cost estimates in advance for future overnight trips and to formalize procedures for scholarship requests so that financial barriers are minimized where possible.