Coronado School Board Retains Full Complement of Varsity Sports

CORONADO — After listening for 2 1/2 hours to pleas for continued support of Coronado High School’s athletic program, the Coronado school board approved sufficient funding to maintain 15 varsity sports.

In approving the $120,000 allocation at a Wednesday meeting in City Council chambers, the board ignored recommendations of an advisory committee to cut the number of varsity sports by nine.

The Coronado Management Advisory Committee--formed three years ago to review the district’s overall budget--recommended six weeks ago that athletics be prioritized into two categories, with the secondary sports facing elimination because of financial problems. Such a reduction would have left just two sports in each of the school’s three seasons.

“We didn’t think we’d lose the programs,” Coronado Athletic Director Robbin Adair said. “We thought they’d go ahead and fund all of them, but with a little more money than they did.”

Adair had submitted a budget request of $165,000, but was forced to settle for an $8,000 increase over last year’s allotment. He said he hopes the $120,000 would increase in the fall with the addition of federal funds.

With an enrollment of approximately 660 students, more than 50% participate in athletics at Coronado.