Girls varsity golf, kickline may be coming to SWR in 2016-17
Shoreham-Wading River High School is expected to expand its athletic program next year by offering more sporting opportunities for female students, including girls varsity golf and a kickline team.
During the school board’s meeting Tuesday, district athletic director Mark Passamonte said he believes a girls golf team should be created since at least 10 students have express an interest in playing. There’s about 22 teams that compete in the Section XI Division, he added.
“If the numbers warrant it, I think it’s a great thing for our girls,” he said. “As the athletic director, I will fully support it and ask the board to support it when we look at it during budget time.”
Comparing to the boys golf’s total expenses, Mr. Passamonte estimates a girls golf team will cost about $10,000 annually.
As for kickline, Mr. Passamonte said 12 students have expressed an interest in playing and believes a team will cost the district $8,000 per year, which he said is about the same amount budgeted for cheerleading.
Since the state doesn’t recognized kickline as a regulation sport, Mr. Passamonte said the team won’t have as many competing options like cheerleading. Instead of competing, the athletic director explained, the kickline team would perform during halftime at home basketball and football games.
“Along with the cheerleaders, I think we can have two performances, which is a nice thing to have,” he said.
Mr. Passamonte said he’ll find out if more students are interested in joining and has also agreed to look into the feasibility of creating a kickline club so that students will be able to participate this school year.
While the school board didn’t take any action on either of Mr. Passamonte’s requests Tuesday night, it did come to a unanimous consensus to allocate funding for both teams.
Jack Costas and Richard Pluschau were absent.
If officially approved, Mr. Passamonte said both teams will be offered during the 2016-17 season.