Return of school sport teams supported
Boundary County School Board at 8 a.m. today, April 24, will discuss bringing back Bonners Ferry High School “C” sports teams and middle school “B” teams.
The meeting will be held at the school district office.
During an April 15 meeting, many expressed an interest in having these teams for students who don’t make varsity and junior varsity squads.
Among them was Boundary County Commissioner Ron Smith.
“Most freshmen don’t have a chance to make a good team because most aren’t advanced enough,” Smith told the school board.
Bobby Hammond also spoke about bringing back the boys and girls basketball and girls volleyball high school “C” teams and a “B” team for the junior high, which are teams for students who don’t make the junior varsity or varsity teams.
Hammond believes if a “C” team is available to freshmen, more students would get involved with sports. They would have better grades and more would be drug-free because of the proposed drug testing of Bonners Ferry High School athletes as early as next year.
“I’m in favor of teams, I believe it is important,” said school district superintendent Don Bartling. “It is just a matter of coming up with funding to hire a coach.”
The alternative team group was cut in 2005 due to lack of funding. Bartling believes it would cost around $15,000 to fund the program. Hammond proposed that the teams could be paid for by fundraisers.
High school principal Curt Randal-Bayer agreed with having “C” teams, but told the group the guideline for fundraising must go through Bonners Ferry Booster Club.
Athletic Director Ted Reynolds had several reservations about bringing back the teams including finding time for practices with only two gyms.
“We can’t ask freshmen to do practice before school because they can’t drive,” he said. “And I don’t want to hear that someone got hurt in an accident at 6 a.m. with bad weather.”
Another issue is transportation costs.
The school board will hold a special meeting on Thursday, April 24, to discuss bringing back these teams.