We are all very aware of the problem Mississippi is having withfunding its schools for the next fiscal year. Our state lawmakerssay they can’t come up with the $2.06 billion it will need to fundthe educational system.

Cuts will definitely be coming. You have heard talk of cuttingback on teachers, teachers’ aides, supplies, school trips, etc. Allof the talk has been about the academic fallout if we don’t get themoney. No one has yet to mention the extracurricularactivities.

In other words, SPORTS!

You can bet that sports, cheerleading, marching bands and otherafternoon clubs and classes, not pertaining to academics, will bethe first ones to feel the pinch of any budget cuts.

The more popular sports, such as football, basketball, baseballand softball, may not be as greatly affected as the smaller sports.These sports generate most of the money needed to support theirprograms. Smaller sports such as soccer, tennis and golf could fallby the wayside if funds are drastically cut.

Bigger schools such as Class 4A Brookhaven or Class 5A Tupelowill fell the pinch but they should find ways to maintain theirsmaller programs.

It’s not the same for the Class 1A, 2A and some 3A schools.These schools operate on shoe-string budgets. Some can’t even offertennis, golf, track and field events, soccer or band. They don’thave the funds. Some only have the basic necessities to get by on.New budget cuts would hurt their programs tremendously.

If the school doesn’t have the money, the program will be shutdown. In the long run, the student-athlete pays the price.

There is a small, silver lining to this dilemma.

Booster clubs help support sports tremendously in a lot ofschools. They are able to raise funds to help programs survive whenthe school is unable to provide the funding. Whether it be new teamuniforms, a batting cage, a new gym floor, new seats, trophies fordivision championships teams and other items necessary to theirprograms. Boosters are necessary for some sports to survive in someschools.

Today’s students need an avenue to excel outside of the classroom. Not everyone has the physical size to play football nor thebody conditioning and height necessary to play basketball.

That’s why other sports such as track and field, golf, tennis,soccer, cheerleading, etc. are necessary even if they don’t bringin much money. It’s a way for others to excel in something athleticdespite their size and capabilities.

The bottom line is sports cost money, whether it be football orgolf or cheerleading. Every little bit eventually adds up to somebig bucks.

Not all schools have a band program. They are worth it, if youhave the funds. It costs plenty for the instruments and uniforms.And you must have a band director to teach them how to march andplay. The money quickly adds up. A band supports not only thesports programs but the school in general.

Hold onto those new uniforms, shoes, pom-pons, gloves, balls,instruments, etc. You may have to make the best of them for awhile.

Hopefully, the powers in charge will come up with the fundsnecessary to run the school system without forcing cuts in theclassroom or the sports field.

Sufficient money may well not be there for a long, longtime.