Athletes turn out

If someone would have told Brainerd High School activities director Todd Selk last spring that the participation rate for Warriors activities would be nearly 90 percent of the average in the past he probably would have clicked his heels.

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When a referendum failed in November 2007 the mandate to the activities department was to adjust its budget by $860,000 in 2008-09 as well as generate new revenue.

One method to generate more revenue was to increase the activity fee for varsity sports, from $80 to $380. Some thought that move might significantly reduce the number of participants.

One week into the 2008 fall sports season, that is not the case.

Hannah Hennen (right) controlled the ball as Melissa Morey defended at a practice for the Brainerd Warrior girls' soccer team last week. Despite higher fees, the participation rate for fall sports is nearly 90 percent of what it has been in the past.

» Purchase reprints of this photo.Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey

This fall's participation rate is 89 percent of what it has been the last few years. That number is expected to increase when families return from vacations and when school starts.

"Given the new fee if somebody would have said last spring that you will be at 90 percent next fall I think we all would have believed that would be pretty darn good," Selk said Thursday. "We actually expect that to creep into the low 90s as kids return from vacations, especially our freshmen class. They still kind of have a middle school mindset on athletics, that sports usually start when school starts. We're about three weeks from school starting so we know we're going to get some of those kids coming in here the next few days.

"We're really hoping once the season gets up and running that we're about 92-93 percent of what we've been in the past. If we're in that range we will be really pleased with our fall numbers."

As of mid-August, 393 athletes were participating in fall sports in grades 9-12, compared to an average of 445 in previous years.

As of mid-August, 393 athletes were participating in fall sports in grades 9-12, compared to an average of 445 in previous years.

"I think the overall numbers are a testament to the program, that what we do is important, that what we do is worthwhile," Selk said. "Families, even at higher prices, want their children to experience a Warrior athletic season.

"Something we're hearing from families is that, 'We are willing to pay it now, but we don't know how long we will be able to pay it.' Just because our numbers are really good right now doesn't necessarily suggest this is something that's sustainable at these high fees."

A few sports have lower numbers, a few have higher, than the past. Freshmen football has 15 fewer players this year. Girls' tennis has six more players.

"We have smaller numbers in some particular sports, but that's not necessarily the result of the fee, it's more a result of we knew that a smaller group was coming through," Selk said. "For example, girls' soccer numbers are a little lower than what they've typically been, but we anticipated that coming in, given the fact we knew how many eighth- and ninth-graders were in the program a year ago and how many seniors we were losing."

Selk believes the reason the participation rate remains high is the result of the work put in by those associated with Warriors athletics.

"The office staff that works for me has done an absolutely tremendous job in our registration process, moving these registrations through, getting the kids ready to go by (Aug. 11)," he said.

"Our coaches need to be commended. They really targeted their kids. They knew who should be coming out, who should be signing up. Throughout the summer they were continually looking at the registrations, contacting kids that weren't on the list, to find out their status. Our coaches did a great job of following up with families just to say, 'If you're not signed up yet we want you to sign up.

"Also, the work of Warrior Way Inc. has allowed students to participate that maybe otherwise would not have."

Selk said his department is reserving judgment about participation trends until BHS has gone a few years with higher fees.

"We're not suggesting that winter and spring will absolutely be duplicated by what the fall was because we believe some families will choose to reduce," he said. "Maybe they were three-sporters, now they're going to pick two, or they were two-sporters and now they're going to pick one, and the one they happened to pick was in the fall."

MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5861.