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Bobby Jones, athletic director at Trinity High School, said pay to play was handed down by the state of Pennsylvania to try and find a way to keep extracurricular activities without having to sacrifice sports such as football, cheerleading, band and other favored activities.
In an Observer-Reporter article August 16, Trinity football players protested the deep cuts to the district’s athletic budget by staging a sit-in at Hiller Field, before their first practice of the summer.
About 50 students positioned on the 50-yard line held signs that said, “LEAVE SPORTS ALONE” and “CAN’T PLAY WITHOUT COACHES,” according to the story.
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In a statement crafted by the team and read by Laschinsky, he said the football team was “unjustly targeted” for cuts, and that players will be “inadequately supervised” as a result.
Coaching and staffing cuts were an issue for players in August, but as the school year is now in full swing, students’ opinions remain strong. The answer were almost all the same for 4 out of every 5 students asked about the program: Students confront stress when faced with having to gather money to participate in their favorite sport or activity. Athletes may have to sacrifice the sports they love playing because they can’t afford to participate.
In a letter sent home to students regarding the program, Dr. Paul Kasunich, Trinity superintendent, stated, “We (Trinity) also have criteria to limit or waive these fees if they pose a hardship on a given family.”
The letter said the district must have proof that a family is struggling in order to waive or limit the fees associated with pay to play. The family yearly cap for the program is $300 compared to a per student yearly cap of $150. The fee for the 2011-12 school year will be $75 for any student participating in any athletic, band or cheerleading programs per season.
Because of the program, many parents have become frustrated and upset.
In the August O-R story, South Strabane resident Eileen Sivie, whose son, Anthony Sivie, plays on the football team, called members of Trinity Area School Board “bullies,” and added, “We need to take on the bullies … They don’t want to listen to the people.”
Even though there may be a lot of frustrations about the program, there is a positive effect – the school district has not had to let go of some of their valued teachers in order to keep funding for sports and extracurricular activities. Six furloughed teachers returned this school year, and two additional elementary teachers were added.
As for the football team, the Hillers are coming off a big win against Elizabeth Forward, defeating them 35-14 last week and further bolstering the Hillers’ playoff hopes. Currently, they are 3-3 and are hosting Thomas Jefferson Friday at Hiller Field.Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
