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Triton athletics budget seeks esports, girls flag football, one coach FTE
Summary
Athletic Director Joel McKenna presented the FY26 athletics budget including one new coach FTE to add esports and girls flag football, a restructured unified sports strength-and-conditioning role funded in part by a Special Olympics grant, and rising contracted services costs including athletic trainer fees.
Athletic Director Joel McKenna told the Triton Regional School Committee on Jan. 15 that the FY26 athletics budget requests one additional coaching full-time equivalent to launch esports and a girls flag-football program and to restructure unified sports support.
The budget “represents our mission to create opportunities for student athletes to compete in an environment, celebrating teamwork,” McKenna said, and he described staff, contracted services and equipment as the primary cost centers. “We're currently operating at a FTE of 58, staff members, who are coaches, assistant coaches, middle school coaches, and unified sports coaches. We are looking to add 1 additional coach FTE for FY26.”
Nut graf: The committee heard that community interest and student demand are driving the new programs and that some recurring costs — notably athletic training, facility rentals and officials’ fees — are rising. McKenna said the athletic trainer contract with Mass General Brigham moves from $48,000 this year to $56,550 in the second year of the two-year agreement.
McKenna said esports and girls flag football have local support: esports would start largely using students’ own devices and existing school PCs, with fundraising to cover initial equipment and a coaching stipend. “Right now...kids are able to use their own equipment,” he said, and the program’s adviser described a model where teams can be largely self-sufficient at start-up. McKenna added that about 15 students have expressed interest so far.
The unified sports program will be restructured to include a dedicated strength-and-conditioning role. McKenna said the district expects the Special Olympics grant to cover about 50% of that position in the next year and potentially a larger share thereafter. “It’s being supported 50% right now by the Special Olympics grant…we would cover 50% of it next year,” he said.
Committee members asked about esports hardware costs. McKenna and other administrators said the plan is to rely on student-owned equipment and existing on-campus labs at launch, with fundraising and potential grant applications to fund school-owned systems later. On staffing, McKenna said the unified sports staffing changes represent restructuring rather than elimination: “We’re gonna have 2 coaches with the basketball program, and then 1…for the strength and conditioning program,” he said.
The budget also anticipates increases in contracted services (swimming/diving ice time, sport security details, officials and transportation) and a 3% rise in officials’ fees tied to MIAA agreements. McKenna said transportation costs assume a 2.5% increase based on recent seasons and contract terms with NRT.
Ending: The committee did not vote on the athletics budget presentation; the request will be included among FY26 budget priorities for follow-up at the committee’s workshop and subsequent meetings.
