by Christin Hitz

The Atlantic Community School District Board of Education voted to cut $682,616 from the budget for the 2015-16 school year. $25,500 of this is expected to be cut from assistant coaching positions. Athletic Director Matt Alexander said the cuts will affect one wrestling coach assistant, an assistant boys track coach, the freshmen volleyball coach, and the assistant speech and debate coach.

 Wrestling:

Alexander explained that instead of three assistant coaches, there will only be to support the wrestling team in the next season. “Because AHS shares the wrestling program with CAM, there will be still enough coaches to work on the wrestling program,” said Alexander.

However, assistant wrestling coach Drew Duff said the cuts take away from the athletes because there is l”ess one-on-one time, fewer eyes in the room, and less instruction for the wrestlers.” The cut “hinders the student athlete,” said Duff.

Senior Travis Peterson said the coaches have a big impact on the team. The wrestling room “will feel different” with one coach less.

Boys’ Track:

Alexander said that since one assistant coaching position has been cut from the track coaching team, the remaining coaches will have to split up more to support the athletes in the special areas such as long distance and hurdles. Furthermore, “more planning in their practice schedules” has to take place.

Head track coach Alan Jenkins said, “I’m not exactly sure why we are being affected.  Last year we had 35 athletes, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see that number increase.”

Jenkins said, “It’s obviously unfortunate for our program.  Track is more than running, it involves a lot of technique and coaches to teach that technique.”

In the upcoming season Coach Yates will coach the throwers and Jenkins, as the head coach, will cover the long jump, high jump, hurdles, distance runners, sprinters, and hand-offs.

Volleyball: 

Freshmen volleyball coach Craig Fredin’s position is one of the anticipated cuts. He said it “would be better to look at numbers of kids that are out before they make the cuts.” He said that cutting the freshmen team hurts the younger players. Without a freshmen team, young players have to play on a higher level with the older students.

Freshman Melissa Samano-Nantz said she hopes that they can “find another way to solve it.”  Samano-Nantz expects volleyball to be a little more difficult with one less coach next season, but is still going out for volleyball.

Speech and Debate:

The position of the assistant speech coach that will be cut is occupied by Spanish teacher Trisha Niceswanger  According to speech and debate teacher Matthew Smith, it was the first year in several years that they had this position filled.

As more students participate in speech and debate the cost of the program is going up, even while the budget is being cut. Niceswanger said, “My position involves working with students to prepare performances of various events (musical theater, acting, radio, etc). I help the students find their strengths in speaking, and coach them to produce the best performance possible.”

In the future it will be harder to “schedule practices as Mr. Smith is busy with his family,” said senior Hannah McLean. Speech and debate “may not be able to grow as much as it could with two of us,” said Niceswanger.

Jenkins summarized the thoughts of many coaches. ”I have a problem when the budget cuts affecting kids.” Jenkins said he is willing to make the best out of the situation. ”You can’t sit back and complain,” but his goal is to do what “is best for the kids.”