New Kent High School administrators aim to enhance athletics/activities programs

Gate receipts totaling almost $42,000 combined with profits from concession stands and money raised through donations contributed more than $67,000 to New Kent High School athletics department coffers during this school year’s fall and winter sports seasons.

While the total could be considered a hefty sum, the reality is that after expenses the athletics department barely broke even. And the department could be in the red after the upcoming spring sports season, a time when attendance is generally low thus driving down gate receipts as well as concession stand profit.

High school athletics director John Spiak and principal Chris Valdrighi delivered the news to county school board members Thursday night during the group’s work session.

“Spring sports [baseball, softball, soccer, track, and tennis] are not high revenue sources as far as gates and concessions are concerned,” Spiak told the board, adding, “Our biggest concern going into spring is the cost for officials.”

Cost for officials to referee games ranks highest on the expense list. For fall and winter home contests, New Kent’s athletics department doled out over $20,000, a figure almost double the amount paid for uniforms and equipment replacements.

As an example, Spiak said the recent 3A East regional wrestling tournament hosted by New Kent resulted in a $4,800 payout for the 12 officials overseeing the two-day event. He added that he has paid the bill, but stands to get reimbursed through the region.

Spiak told the board plans are under way for staging money-raising events to help offset continually rising costs. Also, an effort will be launched to increase membership in the school’s Trojan 100 Club whereby donors, either individuals or businesses, contribute $100 each school year in exchange for perks such as prime seating at sports events. The club has generated over $15,000 so far this school year.

Decline in Trojan 100 Club membership is one of several challenges facing New Kent athletics, Spiak said. Attendance at football and basketball games, the two sports normally generating the highest gate receipts and concession profits, has also fallen.

“[Attendance] seems to be really down, but it seems to be down at everybody else’s place, too,” he said.

The new conference format adopted last year by the Virginia High School League has resulted in longer distances for teams to travel to away games, thus driving up transportation costs, he said.

Then there is low student participation in two programs — girls basketball and girls cross country. New Kent’s varsity girls basketball team listed nine players on the roster this season, and the JV team fielded about the same. Membership on the cross country team last fall plummeted. The team fell short of the required five varsity runners needed to compete for points at a meet.

“I’m working with coaches to improve certain programs, especially with numbers on girls teams,” Spiak said.

But all is not doom and gloom for New Kent athletics. Heading a list of positives, Spiak said, are the student-athletes who compete and the coaches who spend considerable time building teams.

New Kent High students are not shy about participating in athletics and school-sponsored activities. Of the close to 960 students enrolled, 227 took part in fall sports/activities while 248 engaged in winter programs.

“The biggest positive we have, other than our kids, is our school,” Spiak told the board. “We receive so many compliments from visitors about the great facilities we have for hosting events.”

“We do hear our name a lot for hosting,” chimed in school superintendent Dave Myers.

New Kent also emphasizes its concession stands, Spiak said, adding, “We try to have concessions open at all contests for all sports.”

Other steps aimed at improving athletics/activities found in Spiak’s report include working with middle school athletics director Laurie Weaver to increase student participation, efforts to raise school spirit and student attendance at events, and purchasing athletic equipment with safety in mind.

“The big one is football helmets,” he told the board. “Next season, we’re going with a different company that offers helmets with a higher safety rating than what we have now.”

Board members, meanwhile, asked Spiak to furnish more data on past year comparisons pertaining to gate receipts, concession profits, cost for officials, and Trojan 100 Club membership.

In another matter Thursday night, the board voted 3-2 to amend their employment contract with Myers, permanently waiving the requirement that a New Kent school superintendent must reside in the county. Board members Dean Simmons and Brett Marshall cast the two dissenting votes.