Athletics director: Sycamore saw big gains in state qualifiers, participation and facility revenue

Andrew Ovington, Sycamore High School athletic director, gave the Board of Education a year-in-review of the district’s athletics program, saying the season produced conference and state-level successes and rising community support.

Ovington told the board Sycamore produced three GMC athletes of the year, five GMC coaches of the year, three team GMC championships and 67 individual state qualifiers — up from 34 the prior year. He said the district offers 32 varsity sports at the high school and about 25 sports at the junior-high level, and that roughly 750 students — about 47% of the high school population — participate in athletics.

"We obviously have a lot to celebrate," Ovington said, highlighting both team and individual accomplishments. He noted that the district’s "3,000 point club," a recognition for multi-sport athletes, doubled from two athletes to four this year.

Ovington also described growth in facility revenue and community engagement. He said facility rental income rose from roughly $2,000 in fiscal year 2023–24 to nearly $20,000 the following year and that ticket sales increased about 21% this past season. "I would love in an ideal world for have that money tucked away," he said, recommending the district consider reserving rental revenues to cover major replacements such as turf, which typically has a 10-year lifespan.

On student retention, Ovington reported the incoming ninth-grade class (class of 2030) included about 437 former eighth graders and 26 transfers to private schools — about 5.9% — of which he estimated 17 had played junior-high sports. He summarized that "96.2% of our athletes are staying," a figure he described as a strong retention rate.

Board members and staff praised the athletics operation and its outreach. The treasurer’s office thanked Ovington for staying in close budget communication, and board members noted the expanded coverage of nontraditional sports on athletic social media. Ovington described the district athletic council — a standing group of principals, coaches, board members and staff — as the formal process to evaluate proposals to add or remove sports, and said club sports can grow into varsity offerings if they show sustained participation.

The board discussed facility upkeep and funding. Trustees asked staff to confirm where rental revenue is recorded and whether it can be earmarked for athletics maintenance rather than general funds. Ovington credited community donors for recent turf replacements and outlined remaining fundraising needs for phase-two improvements (bleachers, press box, concessions and exterior work).

The board offered unanimous appreciation for the athletic staff and volunteers and did not take formal action on Ovington’s recommendations during the meeting. The board moved on to the superintendent’s agenda after members expressed support for continuing to track facility revenues and to explore a mechanism to reserve funds for long-term maintenance.

The presentation and board discussion were part of the regular business at the Sycamore Community City Board of Education meeting.