Trevor Wilson, Commissioner of the Wyoming High School Activities Association, called into First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday to discuss funding for activities and potential changes in light of looming funding cuts.

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(0:12) Duke and Dow with you in studio this morning for Sports Friday. (0:15) Joining us now over the phone this morning is Commissioner of (0:18) the Wyoming High School Activities Association, Trevor Wilson. (0:21) Trevor, appreciate your time today.

(0:22) I can only imagine how busy your phone has been ringing since (0:26) the press release that went out from WASA over (0:29) the weekend on activities and funding, (0:31) so really appreciate you taking some time with us. (0:34) Let’s just start at the beginning of this and some of (0:37) the conversations that is happening with the board, (0:39) with the Wyoming High School Activities Association, (0:42) and what kind of funding schools are looking at right now. (0:48) Sounds good.

Good morning, and thanks for having me, (0:51) Dow. I appreciate it. (0:53) Yeah, it’s been a bit of a busy week, (0:56) but it’s been a very positive week as well.

(1:00) Just to answer your first part of your question, (1:02) I don’t know if it’s a question, but just a statement. (1:05) But we got news from our schools late March, (1:13) April, regarding the potential funding. (1:16) There were a lot of questions and still are, (1:20) but anyway, what we did is that our district meetings, (1:24) the first one was in late March, (1:28) and then we had three after that that ended in mid-April.

(1:33) We just started asking our schools about just getting their thoughts (1:38) about cutting things or doing things different to try to help with this deficit. (1:46) We gathered some information, (1:48) some feedback from basically our ADs at our district meeting, (1:51) and then we had a lengthy conversation at the board level on April 28, (1:57) regarding the same topic. (2:00) And it was a lot of thought put in.

(2:04) Our board does a great job of thinking through some things. (2:08) And at that point, we decided that we were going to come up with a press release, (2:13) send it out in an effort to help our schools and to make not just our schools, (2:19) but make everyone in our state, parents, students, (2:22) aware of potential implications. (2:26) The goal of this press release was not to scare anybody, (2:29) wasn’t to threaten anybody.

(2:31) It was just to make folks aware that there could be some potential changes coming up (2:36) if indeed this funding model continues. (2:41) So that’s where we’re at. (2:43) We sent the press release out last Friday.

(2:46) Overall, it’s been very well received. (2:49) We’re not out to blame anybody. (2:51) We’re just trying to help our schools potentially solve a problem.

(2:55) Trevor, kind of walk us through the process of, (2:58) you had quite a list here and obviously, (3:00) sometimes people get hung up with the idea that it’s only athletics, (3:05) but that’s not what the A stands for, it’s activities. (3:08) So I mean, you have things like speech and debate and band (3:11) and different things like that as well. (3:13) How do you go through, (3:15) kind of walk us through the process of how the board went through this press release (3:18) and kind of identified some of the things that they wanted to look at to highlight (3:24) as causes or things that could be potentially impacted? (3:28) Yeah, I mean, you probably could have gone through every sport (3:32) and done the same thing and activity, (3:35) but we just felt we didn’t want to do that, (3:37) otherwise we’re ending up with a three or four page document (3:39) that nobody’s going to read.

(3:41) So we just, if you want to say picked on a few, (3:44) picked out a few that could be, (3:47) and you’ve talked about activities, (3:48) we’ve listed speech and debate, potentially all state music. (3:52) There’s a lot of things, national events, FFA, SkillsUSA, (3:56) a lot of things that we can do from our end. (3:59) And as you said, not just for sports, but for activities as well.

(4:04) Schools are going to be facing some tough decisions (4:06) or potentially some tough decisions. (4:08) So I think everything is on the table. (4:12) You know, we listed some sports as well.

(4:15) And also I want to make it clear that we are an activities association (4:18) and we aren’t looking to eliminate any activities from our program offerings. (4:24) Not at all. That’s not what we want to do.

(4:27) We want to promote our activities. (4:29) We want to have as many students as possible participating in our activities. (4:33) Well, that’s still our number one goal, (4:35) but we also can’t just stick our heads in the sand (4:39) and think everything’s going to be okay.

(4:41) I wanted to ask that question that you kind of alluded to there. (4:45) So when it comes to cutting a program, (4:48) some of the programs that were thrown out of the press release, (4:51) soccer, indoor track and field, I look at our listenership, (4:55) just barely started a middle school soccer program (4:58) at Star Valley Middle School, (4:59) have over a hundred kids participating in indoor track and field. (5:02) We don’t have skiing in Lincoln County or swimming and diving, (5:06) but we do have spring golf and those types of things.

(5:08) So if it came down to it where some of these programs are cut, (5:13) would they be cut on a school-by-school basis? (5:16) Or is this press release saying that potentially WASA could discontinue (5:22) offering these as sanctioned sports statewide? (5:26) So our plan, right now as we speak, we will follow our bylaws, (5:31) which states that unless we have less than six teams, (5:35) six schools in a sport for a period of two years, (5:40) that’s at the point where that sport is disbanded. (5:44) Until that happens, we as an association (5:46) are not looking to cut anything. (5:48) This is more as schools might have to make these tough decisions (5:53) regarding whatever activity or sport it might be.

(5:56) But from our association, again, we intend to follow our rules, (6:00) which states unless we get less than six for two years, (6:03) we keep moving forward with that activity. (6:07) So Trevor, as you look at this list, (6:09) and obviously it’s a pretty big one, (6:13) but in terms of the word cuts are getting used a lot and things like that, (6:17) but this also can serve as a list that, you know, (6:20) hey, here’s some things we can trim on (6:21) or maybe some things that you examine. (6:23) That probably happens on a regular basis anyway in your office.

(6:27) Are there some things that were maybe already under discussion (6:30) as far as maybe considering trimming this (6:32) or adjusting certain things already before this Senate File 81 took place? (6:38) Yeah, I mean, I don’t know if we were like considering it very closely, (6:45) but some of the things that have been talked about in the last, (6:48) we’ll just say five years, you know, (6:50) some sports don’t have regional tournaments and then others, (6:54) you know, it’s been talked about maybe eliminating those regional tournaments. (6:58) Those are things that we can help with. (7:02) The other, the big one, I think, is regular season tournaments, (7:06) you know, eliminating the overnight stays for our schools.

(7:09) That’s certainly something that we can help with our rules as well. (7:14) But the fallout to that is that then let’s just state Star Valley, for example, (7:19) you want to host a big wrestling tournament or whatever it is. (7:23) Well, that takes away that community’s, you know, time to host those things.

(7:28) So it obviously has negative effects, (7:31) but those are things that we can help with. (7:34) You know, extreme things would be maybe at our culminating event, (7:38) we eliminate consolation games. (7:40) Again, these aren’t something we want to do, (7:42) but these are things we can do to help our schools, (7:45) you know, save a little money.

(7:47) We could limit the number of teams that qualify for our state event. (7:50) We could eliminate, or excuse me, minimize the number of qualifiers (7:54) to a certain state event. (7:57) For instance, wrestling, big in Star Valley, (7:59) we go from 16 qualifiers in a weight class to eight.

(8:03) And again, this isn’t anything that we want to do, (8:05) but these are just things that could help, (8:08) you know, potentially save our schools some money. (8:13) Yeah, and then some other things might be, you know, (8:16) just eliminate overnight stays, period, for all activities. (8:20) And that’s easier said than done, (8:22) because you guys know better than anybody (8:25) that you have to travel in our state.

(8:27) And you guys are much closer to other states (8:30) than you are most of the schools in Wyoming. (8:34) So some of these things aren’t always possible (8:37) for certain school districts. (8:39) Speaking with Trevor Wilson, (8:40) Commissioner of the Wyoming High School Activities Association (8:43) today on First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday.

(8:45) Trevor, you mentioned at the beginning of our conversation (8:48) how since this press release went out last weekend, (8:51) it’s been well-received. (8:53) Elaborate on that a little more. (8:55) What have you heard feedback-wise from legislators? (8:58) I know a lot of our local lawmakers (9:00) are looking at this extensively (9:02) and are saying that they are, of course, (9:04) going to relook at the Senate file (9:05) and make some adjustments and changes to the funding.

(9:09) And so what’s been the feedback? (9:11) I mean, obviously, we have no idea (9:15) where this is gonna look in the next six months. (9:17) And so what kind of feedback have you seen? (9:20) Well, I have not had any direct contact (9:22) with any of our legislators, which is okay. (9:26) I have had direct contact with many of our schools (9:29) that are thankful that we put something out.

(9:32) They think it’s going to help them (9:34) as they navigate through this whole thing. (9:37) I’ve had several interviews with folks like yourself. (9:41) I shouldn’t say several, maybe 10-ish, (9:43) which for me is a lot.

(9:45) We like to stay under the radar. (9:48) But for the most part, (9:50) and I stay off of social media for good reason. (9:53) So I’m sure there’s a lot, (9:54) there might be some negatives out there.

(9:56) But overall, what I’m hearing, what we’re hearing, (9:59) is that the communities are happy we sent it out. (10:03) They’re aware of the situation now, (10:06) and our schools think it’s been helpful. (10:10) So, I don’t know, we’ll see where it goes.

(10:14) And again, what I don’t wanna have happen is that, (10:19) and I’ve seen a couple articles, let’s not panic yet, okay? (10:23) Let’s not just feel like the sky is falling (10:25) and we’re going to start (10:27) just eliminating sports and activities. (10:30) Let’s go through a process. (10:31) Let’s see if we can come up with some ideas (10:35) this next school year.

(10:37) And if we need to implement some changes to our rules, (10:40) then let’s do so. (10:41) But we’re going to follow our rules, (10:44) follow our district meeting process, (10:46) our board meeting process, to readings, (10:48) and just see where things go. (10:50) That’s Trevor Wilson, (10:51) Commissioner of Wyoming High School Activities Association.

(10:53) Trevor, thanks for the update and the insight. (10:55) We, as always, appreciate your time today. (10:57) Thank you.

(10:58) Thanks for all you guys are doing. (10:59) I appreciate it very much, pal. (11:00) It’s First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday this morning (11:03) on the SBI Radio Network.