As students begin to file back into classrooms and prepare themselves for a new and exciting year of high school. Another factor that comes into play is the thrill of the fall season for Severna Park Athletics. The fall sports include boys and girls soccer, volleyball, field hockey, golf, cheer and football. These teams work tirelessly every season to compete and carry the name SP to dominate levels within their field of play, and something they all have in common is the need for a uniform that not only abides by county standard and dons the SP logo, but also is fit for athletes to perform their best in. But there is also a slew of questions that arise around this topic, with the main being how should said jerseys be funded?
The athletics department is one to be proud of and has done a good job over the years in terms of regulating and controlling the ins and outs of sports and the activities revolving around sports. But when it comes to uniforms the department along with the county, handles it a different manner. What teams end up doing is raising money on their own through avenues such as fundraisers, team dues, donation links and more. But as a public school should the athletes have to collect money on their own for something that can be considered a sports necessity?
“I feel like if there is so much money in the boosters and the school, they should use that money for jerseys” but she also made the point that “It may be fair though, because all of our sports teams have to” junior soccer player Lainey Kaminskas said.
The point of equity is very true when it comes to distribution of athletic finances, and that benefits for one sport should be seen across all. But when it comes to the money provided by the county that is where the cycle begins.
According to the approved Operating & Capital Budget monetary distribution for athletics in Anne Arundel county, there is $674,632 approved for athletic supplies and materials and $247,579 approved for equipment across the 14 public high schools. “From what I understand, our AD, Mr. Kaufman, has a budget as well. I’m not sure what his purchase list includes exactly but it is a great question to ask him. I know he has used it for nets/goals/balls etc.” Falcon Boosters Board member Bethany Fish said.
With this money along side money from the boosters program, the needs of the sports team is determined and based on that, some teams will be provided with more money than others. When it comes to uniforms, The Falcons Athletic Booster Club provides supplemental funding for uniforms, but does not cover the uniforms in full.
“The Falcon Athletic Booster Club proudly supports all 21 athletic teams at SPHS by providing supplemental funding for uniforms. While this support helps offset costs, it does not cover uniforms in full. To promote fairness and consistency across the program, sixteen teams receive uniform supplements on a three-year rotation. Five teams—whose uniforms consist solely of t-shirts or swim caps—receive annual funding due to their lower cost” Fish said.
Since the uniforms can’t be covered in full, the approximately $48,000 for supplies and materials for should then cover the rest, but that is seemingly not the case. Booster does have membership fees and fundraising for teams, but doesn’t take a percentage from teams, “The Falcon Athletic Boosters Club does not take a fixed “cut” of the money raised for personal gain or overhead. Instead, it operates as a volunteer-run nonprofit that uses fundraising proceeds to support athletic programs at Severna Park High School” Fish said.
The significance of a brand can go a long way as well, but that also doesn’t come without a price. When thinking about the teams minds first drift to the brand Under Armour, as it has been a clear component of gear – athletic and non athletic – for many years now. But the quality and dependability of the brand also comes with a price tag, and for the boys and girls soccer team this season, they chose to go with an alternative jersey site in order to create an affordable option due to self funding. For the boys teams it was a change in quality and feel, and for the girls team it meant inadequate sizing for women and something that was generally unable to be played in. Kaminskas said “The new jersey’s are just not good, and I prefer the old ones…but it is important that teams get new uniforms because it is a good refresh and kind of like resets the mind.”
The need for new uniforms stretches through all programs at one point or another, and having the privilege to go to a nice public school like Severna Park High School with the funds to support all athletics should mean that teams shouldn’t have to stress and wonder about uniforms and have to make choices to reduce the cost to save money and not quality.
The weight of raising additional funds falls to the sports teams themselves, “Yes, teams can use money they earned through fundraising and volunteering at concessions for things like a kick off dinner, supplemental uniforms, coaches gifts, senior night items (food and gifts), banquet food for players, lanyards, roster cards, photos, miscellaneous team items like practice shirts, socks, as well as field safety fencing, time clocks, scoreboard repairs” Fish said.
With all fall sports kicking off there are plenty of opportunities to represent the blue and gold. All the athletes at Severna Park are beyond lucky to have a school that supports them in every aspect – inside and outside of the classroom- and sees the pride in giving it everything come game day, so hopefully the uniform on their backs can soon become an extension of that support.
The Talon staff reached out to to Athletic Director Mr. Kauffman to comment on this article, but he did not respond in time for print.
