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Board debates athletic 'recruiting coordinator' and athlete‑portal pilot; decides to delay fee changes
Summary
Superintendent and staff briefed the board on a $3,000 athletic portal pilot and proposed recruiting‑coordinator role to centralize highlight reels and college outreach; members debated marketing vs. recruiting and agreed to defer any fee increases pending further community outreach.
District leaders presented an "Athletic Academy" portal and a proposal to create a recruiting/marketing coordinator role during the June 16 meeting. The portal would let athletes build highlight reels and share stats with college coaches; officials described football as the pilot program, with a three‑year package priced at $3,000 (about $1,000 per year at the pilot tier) paid from football funds.
Proponents said a recruiting coordinator would centralize coaches' and parents' current ad hoc work—helping students make highlight videos, funneling information to college recruiters and marketing the district to retain and attract students. One board member outlined duties that would include compiling stats, coordinating with coaches, and contacting colleges.
Other members cautioned about the legal and ethical boundary between marketing and recruiting. A board member noted that districts cannot "recruit" high school students in the sense of inducements, and several members emphasized the project should be framed as student support and marketing rather than external recruitment.
Board discussion also covered potential costs (staff supplements or reallocation of existing duties), training (July Zoom sessions planned for staff), and implementation steps. Members asked for a written plan detailing responsibilities and expected outcomes before establishing a new supplement or position. The board agreed to pilot the portal with football funds and to bring a clearer plan back in July.
Separately, members discussed recent legislative language about extracurricular fees and noted draft language capping charges at $400 per sport in some proposals. Liberty County does not currently charge full‑time students per‑sport athletic fees; members agreed not to change the district's current fee policy immediately and to allow more time for community input and marketing work before any fee changes.
Next steps: staff will produce a written implementation plan for the athletic portal and recruiting coordinator concept, show expected costs and duties, and return to the board for further consideration.
