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Athletics director outlines budget breakdown, new sports and study‑tables as district braces for fiscal pressures
Summary
Coach Cruz presented an athletics update to the Garfield Heights board on Jan. 27, detailing how athletic funds are spent, recent additions to the program, new hires for coaching positions and efforts to expand study‑table support for student athletes.
The Garfield Heights board heard a detailed presentation from the district’s athletics department on Jan. 27 covering how the department spends its budget, recent additions to sports offerings, new coaching hires and academic support for student athletes.
Coach Cruz, presenting on behalf of the athletics department, told the board that as of the meeting date approximately 32% of the athletics budget had been spent on equipment (items such as an ice machine, field sleds, helmets and uniforms), 23% on dues and event fees, 21% on events management (including game workers and security), 17% on uniforms, and about 7% on awards and banquet expenses. “Right now we are spending as of today 32% of our budget has gone to equipment,” Coach Cruz said during his presentation.
Program growth and hires
The athletics department has added and recognized several programs in recent years. Coach Cruz said golf, men’s volleyball and step team were added last year (with step team recognized as a varsity sport for 2023–24) and that the district added boys and girls cross country and women’s flag football this year. The department had hoped to add esports and tennis this year but was not yet ready.
New coaching hires cited in the meeting included:
- Max Stevens, newly hired head football coach (Coach Cruz praised his record and mentorship role). - Ebony Johnson and Taylor Logan, hires for winter and fall cheerleading (Johnson previously an assistant under long‑time coach Sherry Williams). - Ariel Durden, new head coach for step team. - William Ritter, head coach for flag football (first season for the program). - Jermaine Smith, pending board approval, to be head track and field coach (previously assistant coach at Cleveland Heights).
Academic support and community programming
Coach Cruz described study tables at the high school — started last year and meeting twice a week in core subjects — and said the goal is to implement a similar program at the middle school before spring sports begin. He credited volunteer teachers and staff for running study tables and named several teachers who had volunteered.
On technology and exposure, Coach Cruz confirmed that student athletes can access Hudl: “every team member has the ability to access Hudl,” though coach and administrator privileges differ, and coaches use the platform to create highlight footage for students.
Coach Cruz also highlighted youth outreach — summer clinics, transportation from elementary buildings to high‑school camps, and collaboration with booster clubs — and celebrated recent competitive results including the girls volleyball team winning its first league championship in more than two decades and the boys basketball team starting the season 13–1.
Questions from board members addressed band instrument replacement (the district used roughly $21,000 of ESSER funds last year for replacement instruments and is building an equipment replacement cycle tied to participation) and which athletics costs could be affected if district finances tighten (administration later told the board that extracurriculars and non‑core programs are among the first areas to be considered for cuts if revenue shortfalls persist).
Ending
Coach Cruz closed by previewing upcoming events (senior nights, hall of fame inductions, stadium opening for spring sports) and noted the department’s intent to keep expanding offerings for students when financially feasible.
