Local coach urges board to restore middle-school gymnastics coach amid budget cuts

Chris Schley, who identified himself as a high school gymnastics coach with 29 years of experience, addressed the Mosinee School Board on Jan. 20 to protest the board's December decision not to fill a budgeted middle-school head gymnastics coach position.

"Why have you cut a budgeted coaching position at the start of the season?" Schley asked during public forum. He said the program has run with four coaches (two at each level) funded in past years and that volunteers or having high-school coaches split duties would create "huge liability and safety concerns" for high-risk skills that require active spotting.

Schley told the board the team's families have funded equipment costs for years and that the program typically fields six to 12 girls annually. He said four girls decided not to participate after the coaching change and urged the board to reconsider: "We need more than one coach per program... Making these changes puts the success of our program at risk."

He also said the program has produced state qualifiers (he referenced 20 state qualifiers during his coaching tenure and current athletes expected to qualify) and asked how the district plans to honor contracts signed by high‑school coaches if their duties change.

Board members responded on administrative follow-up and logistics: staff asked Schley to email his materials to Superintendent Kevin for review and agreed to look into an apparent problem with the public‑forum sign-up form after Schley reported he had submitted the form but did not receive a confirmation.

The board took no formal action on the gymnastics program during the meeting; Schley invited trustees and community members to attend upcoming home meets.