Sports Seasons Continue To Get Shorter In N.Y. Due To Money Problems

WKTV.com (Utica, N.Y.)

NEW YORK STATE (WKTV) – Once again New York State’s fiscal crisis trickles down to schools. For the third straight year, seasons will be shorter for all sports.

Sports with 24 contests will be reduced to 20, sports with 20 contests will be reduced to 18 and sports with 18 contests will be reduced to 16. Wrestling will be reduced to 20 points. Football will be reduced from 10 to 9 games.

New York’s Public High School Association says the shorter schedules allow schools to cut budgets without losing any of the programs.

The Athletic Director and Boys Varsity Basketball Coach at New York Mills Mike Adey serves on the State Basketball Committee. Adey says he understands the cuts, but he is not happy with the way the state did it’s business. “I know the State of New York has to react to the economy, it really is bad and everyone understands that. I think people are intelligent enough that they could have sat down and figured out ways to save money rather than just indiscriminantly saying you’re going to lose two games in every sport. Its not just basketball, it effects everything. Every sport in every school,” says Adey.

According to the state, the cuts will save about $10 million a year.