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Board reviews fall athletics costs as $100 activity fee covers most event expenses
Summary
The Whitehall School District reviewed a multi‑year report on fall athletics expenditures, showing per‑player costs that range from about $100 to $170 for event expenses; the board said the $100 activity fee covers most travel, supply and officials costs but some events still run a deficit.
The Whitehall School District board examined a three‑and‑a‑half year review of fall athletics expenditures and activity‑fee performance, with administrators saying the district is closer to breaking even than in prior years but still running deficits for some events.
“High school volleyball… it is a $100.14 in cost per kid. That does not include the coaching cost,” the Superintendent said in the presentation, adding that “the activity fee of a 100 is paying all but 14¢.” The report cited other per‑player event costs: football at $166.83 and cross country at $170.50. Those figures exclude coaching salaries, which the district budgets from its general fund.
Administrators explained that spikes in one‑season costs often reflect uniform purchases on a four‑year rotation rather than recurring annual increases. For example, a uniform purchase of roughly $5,000 this year contributed to higher per‑athlete costs for some teams. The presentation also noted that gate revenue varies widely by event; the district recorded a profit at one game (the Three Forks game) but most home events still lost money.
Board members discussed the tradeoffs of a single family fee versus per‑season fees. Administrators said past attempts at a larger, single family membership reduced per‑event revenue and made athletics funding worse. They emphasized continuing to monitor winter and spring sports and to present updated year‑end figures in June to reassess fee levels.
