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Sayreville athletics director asks board to approve coach for girls wrestling and modest budget items
Summary
Director of athletics presented the 2026–27 athletics budget, proposed formally establishing girls wrestling with a dedicated head coach (presenter said the only material cost is the coach’s salary), and requested a digital scoreboard and modest rental fee adjustments to cover rising expenses.
The Sayreville Board of Education heard the athletics 2026–27 budget presentation, which included a proposal to formalize girls wrestling at the middle‑ and high‑school levels by hiring a dedicated coach.
Director of athletics (introduced as Miss Badami) summarized recent program growth — added middle‑school volleyball and lacrosse teams and expanded freshman levels at the high school — and said female participation has grown enough that a stand‑alone girls wrestling coach is now needed. "It's going to cost us a head coach. That's it," the director said, adding that officials fees and existing uniform supply costs were already covered.
Badami told the board that current girls wrestling numbers (about seven to eight participants at typical levels) place Sayreville in the GMC white division and that a dedicated coach could help the program grow into a red division team (which requires fuller rosters). The presentation also requested a digital scoreboard that could integrate with existing displays and offer advertising opportunities to help offset costs.
Board members praised the expansion of middle‑school sports and the role athletics plays in student engagement. Questions focused on weight‑class structure, availability of opponents in the GMC to sustain a schedule, and the incremental budget impact. Badami said regional competition is available and predicted increased participation if the program is formalized with a dedicated coach.
The board did not take a separate, immediate vote on hiring a coach during the presentation; budget requests will be considered as part of the district’s larger 2026–27 budget process.
