Fees Keeping Kids from Playing Sports, Superintendent Says

Strongsville Schools Superintendent John Krupinski wants to dramatically reduce pay-to-participate fees next school year to allow more kids to sign up for sports.

Under Krupinski's plan, per-sport fees would go from the current $400 and Strongsville High School to $200. 

At the middle schools, the fee would drop from $300 to $100.

"Opportunities are important to students," Krupinski said, who believes many have lost a chance to play because of the cost.

At the middle schools, 638 students were playing sports in the 2009-10 school year. That dropped to 465 last year, when the higher fees kicked in, and to 318 this year.

"If we look at the impact, let me say this: it has been huge," Krupinski said.

At the high school, participation went from 939 in 2009-10 to 805 last year to 630 this school year.

Some teams that previously fielded 70 or more students were down to 30 kids this year, he said.

Slicing the fees would mean a loss of $170,000 in revenue next year, based on current participation, but more kids will almost certainly play.

"What I think is going to happen is participation is going to increase, especially at the middle school level," Krupinski said.

He said Strongsville's middle school fee is the highest in the area.

The one-time trainer's fee is to be reduced from $40 to $20 at the high school and $10 at the middle schools. Family cap would be lowered from the current $1,200 to $600.

The higher fees were put into place in the 2011-12 school year to cover the cost of coaches' contracts as the district struggled to balance its budget.

Treasurer Deborah Herrmann said she has already used the lower fees in her five-year budget forecast, which has the district in the black for the next three years.

The School Board is expected to vote on the proposal at its next meeting June 27.