School sports hit big with businesses

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by Jill Henry|ret||ret||tab|

SBJ Reporter|ret||ret||tab|

jhenry@sbj.net|ret||ret||tab|

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School sports mean big business in Springfield. |ret||ret||tab|

Springfield Public Schools interscholastic athletics offers students the chance to participate in football, basketball, wrestling, cross country, baseball, golf, soccer, softball, cheerleading, pom-pons, volleyball and track.|ret||ret||tab|

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Budget|ret||ret||tab|

2004-2005 budget totals $2,008,837, with $1,178,959 earmarked for salaries; $139,948 for benefits; $403,661 for purchased services; and $286,269 for supplies and materials. |ret||ret||tab|

The budget comprises 5,300 students and 350 coaching positions at five high schools and nine middle schools, and an estimated cost per student of $379.|ret||ret||tab|

The 2003-2004 budget totaled $2,033,199, with $1,186,425 for salaries; $155,544 for benefits; $369,152 for purchased services; and $322,078 for supplies and materials. |ret||ret||tab|

That budget also comprised 5,300 students at five high schools and nine middle schools, but the coaching staff was 328.|ret||ret||tab|

The athletic department, as well as other departments within the district, was threatened with the possibility of budget cuts. |ret||ret||tab|

But with the passage of Springfield's tax levy in April, Mark Fisher, athletic director said, "We were able to maintain all of our programs."|ret||ret||tab|

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Vendors|ret||ret||tab|

The athletics department's budget fluctuates from year to year. "One (reason for fluctuation) is because of the prices of uniforms and then also the price of gas has gone up. All those things make a difference," Fisher said. |ret||ret||tab|

"We use different vendors throughout the state because we put everything on bid, but a number of (vendors are) local," Fisher said.|ret||ret||tab|

Bryan Tucker, owner of Har-Bell, said he felt nervous last spring. He and his sales force of three call on about 150 schools in the area, with most of them within a 100-miles radius of Springfield. |ret||ret||tab|

The financial pictures for many of the schools in his sales area depended on recent bond issue and tax levy votes. |ret||ret||tab|

"If the bond issues didn't pass, it was going to severely affect my business because we're probably 60/40 or 75/25 team business as opposed to retail," Tucker said. |ret||ret||tab|

"And if the bond issues didn't pass, then it was going to affect our business because schools aren't going to buy as much merchandise. It has affected it some. You see the purchase orders that come in and they're not as large as they were. People have cut back. But, luckily they passed, and it hasn't been a huge dent in our business," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

Bus Harless has owned Bus's Sporting Goods in Springfield since 1962 and, along with Glenn Bell and Shorty Harrison, was an original owner of Har-Bell. |ret||ret||tab|

Most of his business comes from retail sales to individuals and teams such as Mighty Mites, Little League and soccer, but Harless does submit bids in hopes of selling to area public schools. |ret||ret||tab|

"It's tough. We send bids all the time," he said. "If we're lower, we usually get it but, my gosh, we've got beat out sometimes by a nickel an item."|ret||ret||tab|

Even if he loses an occasional bid, Harless said the retail side of Bus's Sporting Goods is in good shape. He declined to share revenue information, but said, "We get a lot of people that come in that go other places first, and they always come in and say, We've been here and been there and been there, and you've got it, so we'll get it here.'|ret||ret||tab|

"About five years ago we were really doing great, but so many companies just opened up new stores. It's kind of slowed down a little bit, but still yet it's good," he said. |ret||ret||tab|

Harless has chosen not to branch out into other areas of business because, even though business may be a little slower than it used to be, "We've got all we can handle right here."|ret||ret||tab|

One of the biggest challenges Tucker faces is working with bids. "It's not a guaranteed thing. You could spend numerous hours on a bid sheet for a school's sports and you may not get any of it," he said. "You could be doing several hours of work for not a penny."|ret||ret||tab|

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Equipment|ret||ret||tab|

A school district's athletic budget doesn't just affect its ability to purchase equipment for sports, Tucker said. |ret||ret||tab|

"That's what makes our kids well-rounded and helps the future of our country," he said. "It affects my business two ways from selling things and the employment crop for the future. There's a lot of kids that wouldn't come to school if they couldn't participate in sports."|ret||ret||tab|

Tucker said it's too soon to tell how school district budget cuts in the area will affect business, but he estimates it will cause a trickle-down effect with parents footing the bill for their students' sports equipment. |ret||ret||tab|

"Our retail business feeds off of the school business," he said. "We may drive to a school and sell letter jackets or shoes and our retail feeds off of that. Somebody may come to town on a Saturday and come by the store to pick up batting gloves or whatever."|ret||ret||tab|

One of the biggest expenses an athletic department faces is uniforms for its teams, and those costs can vary greatly.|ret||ret||tab|

Tucker said for football uniforms, the average cost would be between $250 and $300 per uniform. He said that football is the most expensive sport to outfit, and it takes the biggest toll on equipment, while cross country requires a uniform that costs around $40.|ret||ret||tab|

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Expenses|ret||ret||tab|

Within the budget, Fisher said, are funds for coaching stipends, sports equipment, team uniforms and paying for game officials and referees. |ret||ret||tab|

Transportation is also earmarked, whether it's for R-XII school buses and drivers or chartered buses, which are required for out-of-state games. |ret||ret||tab|

"All that money kind of comes back to the community," Fisher said. "The officials that work our games are local. Most of that money spent is coming right back into our economy."|ret||ret||tab|

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