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Pay to play could get a lot more expensive for Winchester school athletes. And the increase could be sharper for some more than others as the Winchester School Committee grapples with closing a $62,000 deficit in athletic fees.
The $11.5 million override was going to fix the problem, but in the wake of that failure, student athletes are going to pay the price and some more than others.
The School Committee is considering a plan that could make it more expensive for kids who play hockey, tennis, golf or participate in swimming or skiing.
School Committee Chair Tim Matthews said the plan would increase the base fee for each sport by $200, from $400 per athlete to $600 per athlete with no family cap.
And, he said, the schools are adding a facilities surcharge to those sports that require the district to pay external facility costs, like ice time, or greens fees.
According to the figures presented at May 28’s noontime School Committee meeting, parents of hockey players in the coming school year would pay $1,445 per athlete, $600 for the athletic fee and $845 toward ice time.
Likewise golfers will pay an additional $385, swimmers $185 and tennis players $145 while ski team members would essentially be responsible for their own season pass at roughly $350 per skier. In the past the district picked up that cost.
The plan is an attempt to close a $61,892 deficit in the Athletic Fee account, without cutting programs, Matthews said.
“These fee increases are very unfortunate, but this is what people voted for with the failed override,” said School Committee member John Bellaire.
Committee member Tom Hopcroft asked if the increase was a stopgap measure pending another override vote or if it was meant to be permanent.
Superintendent Dr. Frank Hackett said since the fees are reviewed every year if there was a situation where funds were specifically designated toward athletic or other fees or transportation per a successful override, the district could, in theory, walk back the increases.
Bellaire wondered if it was in their purview to ponder selling tickets to some of the bigger events like football and some hockey or basketball games.
“It could be a pretty easy way to fill that couple of $1,000 or tens of thousands of dollars that we might still need,” he said.
The problem, however, is access points, at least with some sports. Hackett pointed out the football field is filled with access points, making it tricky to limit entry to ticket holders only, but the idea is still in play.
What if?
School Finance Director Andrew Marron said when the district figured the fees, they did it assuming they would have the same level of participation next year as they did this year. But Committee member Karen Maruyama Bolognese asked what would happen if they didn’t.
“What if we have a big drop off in participation because of this,” she asked.
“Let’s not go there,” Hackett said. “I think it’s hard to deal in hypotheticals. We don’t know what the impact on this will be, right? So we will keep a close eye on it.”
Matthews and Bolognese both noted there is also help for any family facing financial hardship or pressure due to the cost change. According to school policy, those families can seek a fee waiver from the athletic director.
And Hackett also pointed out the committee was not being asked to make a decision on the increases immediately.
“We felt it was important for you to see it, have a conversation about it, and then have some time to think it through,” he said. “We will likely find a way to get some feedback … but we would need to bring this back to you relatively soon, so that we can set the fees for next year.”
Matthews said it’s the committee’s goal to vote on the fees at its next regular meeting, where they might have a public hearing or might simply take public comment on the issue.
Chris Stevens is an award-winning journalist who has spent 25 years chasing, editing and photographing stories on the North Shore. She is the co-founder and managing editor of Gotta Know Medford.
