Despite expectations two weeks ago, Cobleskill-Richmondville won't be cutting any sports programs next year after all.
Additional state aid and trimming within the athletic department will allow C-R to field the modified, junior varsity and varsity teams it's fielded in the past, Superintendent Lynn Macan said last week.
When preparing for the second vote on the 2012-13 budget, school board members eliminated JV boys' and girls' soccer, baseball and softball. Also to be cut were modified--or middle school--wrestling, football, track, cross country and girls' volleyball.
Finally, the varsity sports in boys' volleyball, golf, bowling and boys' and girls' tennis were to get the ax.
All those sports on all three levels are now back in place, Ms. Macan said.
C-R is using $40,000 in extra state aid and $13,000 in federal Jobs Fund money to help reinstate the sports. Also, $5,000 is coming from the high school Co-Curricular Fund, as is $2,000 in unexpended donations from the All Sports Booster Club.
Ms. Macan also credited other sports teams and coaches who were willing to forego new uniforms and equipment, which allowed another $21,000 for retaining the sports.
"The important thing is we didn't cut somebody else's stuff to save athletics," Ms. Macan said. "The cuts came in sports."
One key to restoring the sports was the budget approval in voting last week. Had the budget failed, C-R would have used the $53,000 in state aid and Jobs money to reduce costs further, Ms. Macan said.
Passing the budget freed that money for saving the sports, she said.
There will be some reductions in sports scrimmages and non-league travel, Ms. Macan said. But she added that the best news is that the sports have been reinstated.
"This is fabulous news for our students," Ms. Macan said.