Oswego High School football returns today for its first game of the season, but only the junior varsity team will take the field. The varsity program is not returning because of financial cuts.
The Oswego City School District had to cover a $5 million budget shortfall earlier due to declining tax revenues and depleted fund reserves. After major reductions were made to athletics, the school's boosters club was able to fundraise $20,000, but it was short of the roughly $48,000 needed to rescue both varsity and JV.
With only four seniors, football coach John Finch said the school decided to invest in the younger team.
"When we broke it down after the first day we looked at - we would have probably had 18 or 19 on two different teams, which you can't do because you're one or two injuries away from being ineligible to play," Finch said.
Athletic Director David Gryczka looks at is as an investment.
"Historically, football at Oswego has had few and far in between winning seasons," Gryczka said. "This is an opportunity. You take something bad happening like a budget cut and use this opportunity to build something sustainable from the bottom up."
The seniors will get to play on the JV team with approval from the opposing team. Senior Alex North said he's just grateful that the football program still exists.
"It didn't come to fruition until about two weeks before the season started, but it was a very pleasant surprise," North said. "We've just been so blessed to have such an amazing team with so many great players and a level of commitment from players and coaches and parents alike."
The parents behind the BUC Boosters are still raising money for other sports that were eliminated. And they're trying to bank some funds ahead of next year, when the district will have to cover a $4 million budget shortfall.