At Bear River High School, football is king… Sometimes at the expense of other sports. We at The Current think that’s unfair.
“Football games tend to be our most highly-attended athletic events, although the teams also often have more players than some others sports, particularly when you include the cheerleaders who also perform at football games, as do the members of the band at many games,” explained Principal Amy Besler.
Principal Besler said that she tries her best to promote every sport in the same way.
“I do my best to showcase all sports equally and certainly feel they are equally important to our campus culture,” she said. “I make every effort to attend games and competitions in all of our sports — fall, winter, and spring — to show our athletes and their families that I am their biggest fan! In my weekly messages to families, I talk about all the sporting events (and other events) that are happening each week.”
Zach Fink, a freshman football player, discussed the fairness of the football budget, much of which comes from fundraising efforts.
“It is and kind of isn’t,” he said. “We do fund raise. When we do the fundraising in the beginning of the year, it’s towards if something breaks and it’s also towards the bus rides, so for the most part we do raise most of our money. Then the extra money goes to the Booster Club to help out with other sports that need supplies.”
“Money is not distributed to sports,” clarified Duwaine Ganskie, Bear River’s Athletic Director. “All teams do their own fundraising. Football has the most money because they do the most fundraising.”
Mr. Ganskie said “gate money” was a key factor in sports finances. He said the income from football actually helps other sports.
“The Athletic Department takes all gate money (money people pay to get into games) to pay for the officials used by each sport,” he said. “Football brings in the most money and this helps pay for the officials in sports that don’t take in any money (baseball, softball, swim, water polo, track).”
Fink addressed our concern that football gets more attention than any other Bear River sports programs.
“I would agree, it’s a sport that has a little more enthusiasm about it throughout the schools because more people want to see another kid hit another kid for pleasure and stuff,” he said. “It’s more or less about that.”
Fink also talked about what he would say to the people who want more money for non-football sports.
“We pretty much earn everything that we use, so just kind of stop complaining and earn your share of the pile,” he said.
Some students don’t like for the amount of attention the football program receives.
“I think it’s not right that they are given more attention than other sports at the school,” said Jakob Berger, a junior. “… Maybe the other sports teams could possibly put in or make side games and more products to sell.”
Toran Maronic, a senior football team captain, discussed the amount of attention football gets.
“Obviously football is a big sport, probably the most popular,” he said. “With the way society has been changing, I think we need to evaluate that as kind of sexist.”
Maronic also talked about what he would say to those complaining about football.
“I would remind them how big football is but to be optimistic to change in the near future,” Maronic said.
“It seems like football gets more attention than some of the other sport programs, however a lot of people are interested in watching and playing football,” said English Teacher Toby Barmeyer. “… It would be nice if volleyball and some of the other less-recognized sports had rallies to show our support for them, especially when they’re having a good season. I understand that it’s hard, I mean there’s a lot of sports to recognize. I think we should listen to and acknowledge other people’s feelings, since there’s so many people involved in different sports.”
“I think it’s fair that football gets more attention because people like to watch it and play it more. I would say to people that are complaining to get a life,” said Anna Russell, a freshman.
