BY STEVE KRAH
skrah@etruth.com
A downturn in the local and national economy effects all parts of the Elkhart County community's lifestyle.
That includes youth sports.
Out of necessity, some organizations are cutting back. Others are finding different ways of making things work.
American Legion Post 143 baseball, a program that has sent several players on to college baseball, will not have a junior program in 2009. It is possible there might not be a program at all.
Jim Treadway, Post 143 manager, said cutting the junior program -- hopefully just for one year -- will save $3,500.
Treadway has raised only about $3,000 toward the senior team's $10,000 operating budget. He has funded much of the program out of his own pocket the last several years, but has recently had his sales commission sliced by 95 percent and can no longer foot much of the bill.
"If we don't get donors, we just can't do it this year," said Treadway. "We've made tough decisions like everybody else. I know that the hospital has cut out programs. Elkhart Community Schools cut $1 million from their budget. Summer jobs will be hard to get. Our is to goal to have the program funded without putting an added burden on the parents."
The area's Little League have seen it, too, but some of Elkhart County's programs are hanging tough.
Some are up in number, some are down and a few are about the same as last spring.
Elkhart FOP took the biggest hit -- its down from 250 players in 2007 to 175 in 2008 to about 125 this year.
"We dropped off a lot," said FOP park president John Vandermark. "We're missing (most players ages) 8-and-below."
Vandermark said the park's budget was cut and that the drop in numbers may be traced to the area where it gets its players.
"We have a lot of rental units and people come and go all the time," said Vandermark. "Like some other parks, FOP can never grow because we are landlocked."
Osolo Little League president Doug Hollingsworth said numbers at his park -- the biggest in District 14 -- are down by about 100 to 500.
"It was extremely difficult this year to get sponsorships," said Hollingsworth. "Most of the long-time sponsors still did, but we heard from several companies that enjoyed sponsoring youth sports, but that was cut out of their budget."
Hollingsworth said Osolo has not raised its registration fee, but the league has taken measures to reduce costs.
"We are attempting to make it through year without contract labor," said Hollingsworth. "Volunteers are needed."
Little League's international philosophy is that all kids who want to play are welcome.
In the past, sponsors have taken up the slack for families unable to pay.
"We have not had too much of a problem with economy yet," said Cleveland Little League player agent Pam Burleson, who reports registrations are steady at 350 to 400 and that all 2009 teams have sponsors.
"We may have more scholarship players than usual," said Burleson. "(Parents) are welcome to take care of (fees) in any way they can. They always seem to come through. They'll come up and hand $5 or $10 a week -- whatever they can."
For teams that travel, more thought has been put into booking more one-day tournaments to cut down or cut out hotel costs.
"Families leave early in the morning -- maybe at 4 a.m. -- instead of staying the night before," says Adria Phillips, a 17-U travel coach with Shank You Volleyball Club. "They are finding ways to budget their money more wisely."
"We travel just as much," said Jacquie Rost, Shank You coach and assistant director. "But coaches were cognizant of the economy. It's the only way you can be right now."
Phillips' team has qualified for a national tournament in Miami, and it has been doing several fund-raisers to come up with the money for the 21-person travel party. This is the first year since Phillips has been coaching that there are parents who are not going to nationals.
Some folks just couldn't travel at all this season and opted to participate in the local power league.
"A lot of families who traveled before who didn't do (high school) off-season volleyball because they could not afford it," said Phillips.
USA Volleyball, a national governing body, made a rule last year that clubs may not offer player sponsorships so as to not compromise their high school or college eligibility. Players, however, may raise their own funds to offset costs.
"Everyone is feeling the crunch," said Steve Swihart, executive director of the Indiana Thunder and its 14-U, 12-U and 10-U travel softball teams, which play 60 to 90 games per year. "There has been a conscious effort to be a little more sensitive to everyone's economic needs."
Swihart said that the Thunder's participation fees have remained the same, but corporate sponsorships are down.
"We don't have the surplus," said Swihart.
Francis Disori, president of Elkhart Community Soccer Association and the Elkhart Flames, said his organizations have been hit by the economy like everybody else. But the situation is being treated as a positive.
"We haven't seen this as a negative," said Disori. "The soccer community is working together. We are helping each other out."
The Flames, Elkhart YMCA and Inter-City Pumas now share the 23-acre NIBCO Soccer Complex.
"We've seen it as a challenge and good things have come out of that challenge," said Disori. "We draw people from all parts of the city and we want to be sensitive to that."
Disori said scholarships are up, but so is morale. He also recognizes that the organization must practice good resource management.
"We're utilizing the resources better," said Disori. "Elkhart is rich with resources."
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Little League Enrollment
District 14
2008 2009
Baugo 380 400
Bristol 198 212
Cleveland 400 400
Concord 700 702
Edwardsburg 465 496
Elkhart FOP 175 125
Goshen 600 600
Middlebury 684 726
Osolo 600 500
Note: Numbers reflect reports from area league presidents or representatives.