Several Cobleskill-Richmondville sports teams are down to skeleton crews, and school board President Bruce Tryon wants to know why.
Alarmed at the non-participation, Mr. Tryon charged Athletic Director Dale Wotherspoon with forming a committee to study the problem at Monday night's school board meeting.
Mr. Wotherspoon was on hand to talk about changes in the Colonial Council, C-R's sports league, and Mr. Tryon followed that discussion by raising participation.
"Participation. . .the numbers," Mr. Tryon said. "We don't seem to be getting the student athletes that we used to get."
"I can tell you without even looking at the numbers that it's true," Mr. Wotherspoon responded.
The varsity football team had marginal numbers this season and had to call up junior varsity players to fill out the roster in mid-season.
The boys' varsity soccer team did the same, leaving only nine players on JV, not enough for a full team.
This spring, the varsity baseball team started with only 11 players for a nine-man squad.
Similar issues exist with some girls' teams, also.
"We've had conversations with the coaching staff," Mr. Wotherspoon said. "We have high modified numbers [in middle school], but that doesn't translate to the high school."
Coaches believe a variety of factors contribute to the problem: Students have other interests, and they may be hesitant to make the jump from modified to high school sports.
Also, some students and their parents may not like a particular varsity coach, "but if you like the sport, you should play," Mr. Wotherspoon said.
A varsity team's lack of success may fail to draw more kids, too.
"But the boys' cross-country team had a great year" with barely enough runners, Mr. Wotherspoon added.
Some sports have their own issues. National concern about concussions may have reduced football numbers locally, he said.
Mr. Tryon suggested forming a committee, and Mr. Wotherspoon said he, a board member, administrator, coach, players and parents should be involved.
One source, Mr. Wotherspoon added, would be to look at past modified rosters and talk to parents of students who didn't go on to play varsity sports.
School board Vice President Steve Philbrick observed that the problem isn't limited to C-R, and Mr. Wotherspoon agreed.

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Mr. Wotherspoon came to the board to explain that Catholic Central High School and LaSalle Institute may join the Colonial Council.
Both schools were in the Big 10 Conference, which broke up last year. Most athletic directors in the Colonial Council favor the additions, though they must be approved by other officials, Mr. Wotherspoon said.