Timberlane athletics reports growth, athletic trainer leads new emergency-action plan; board approves booster sign sponsorships

Timberlane Regional School District Athletic Director Angelo Fantasia told the school board on Aug. 14 that participation in school sports remains high and that coaches and volunteers are central to the district's athletics success.

Fantasia outlined highlights from the 2024-25 school year, saying the district staged roughly 773 events across middle and high school teams and had about 402 high-school students participating in NHIAA sports. He noted additions such as an esports program and growth in lacrosse and coed volleyball. "We put on approximately 773 events," Fantasia said. "At the high school, we had about 402 students participating in an NHIA sport. 54% of those kids played multiple sports."

The board also heard about an updated Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for sports-related injuries that Fantasia said was revised after work among athletic trainers around the state. He identified Gina Carbone as the district athletic trainer who led efforts to separate protocols from the broader EAP for clarity and to map AED locations and response procedures by field and facility. Fantasia said staff conduct drills with teams, practice calling 911, and prepare traveling AED coverage for off-site venues such as hockey and swim sites. He said the changes respond to requirements in "Senate Bill 148-FN," which the presenter said was signed into law Aug. 10, 2021, and took effect Sept. 1, 2022; the revised plan is intended to meet that law's expectation that athletic departments implement emergency planning for sports injuries.

Fantasia said the document was not an action item for the board but that he planned to distribute the plan to local authorities and share it with the board. "This is not an action item," he said. "If this is okay with the board, this is what I'm gonna send to the local authorities, and this is what I'm gonna share with you." Board members asked questions about differences from the prior plan and were told the main change was separating protocols and procedures from the EAP for easier use by coaches.

Separately, the board approved booster club sign sponsorships, a recurring annual request that allows booster groups to display sponsored signage on school property with board permission. A board member moved to approve the list of booster sign sponsorships included in the Aug. 14 executive summary; Mary Anne seconded the motion, and the motion carried. Board discussion noted that booster groups coordinate seasonal fence signage (track and football alternate) and that the sponsorships help offset costs for team activities, banquets and senior events.

The athletic report and EAP drew praise from board members for the trainers and volunteers who run pre-season checks and community-supported facility improvements. Fantasia said he would send the final EAP to local emergency responders and continue drills with coaches and teams.

Ending: The board received an informational annual athletics report, accepted the revised emergency planning approach as presented for distribution, and approved the booster sign sponsorship requests. Fantasia and trainer Gina Carbone said they would continue drills and distribute the EAP to emergency partners.