Spring Cove School District weighs indoor track program
Board member shares student poll measuring interest in team
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ROARING SPRING -- The Spring Cove School District is weighing the possibility of adding an indoor track and field team to the district's athletic programs after a board member brought up the idea in September.
Erika Smith said that the district had a few standout track stars and, in addition to those athletes, an indoor track and field team would be a good program for any interested student.
During Monday's school board meeting, Smith, former head coach of the Tussey Mountain High School track team, shared a presentation featuring a student interest poll from Sept. 21-25 through the spring track and field Band app.
She said 35 out of 45 students expressed interest in joining an indoor track team, with 11 of them interested but already participating in winter programs such as basketball and wrestling.
Smith projected two sample meets for the board to see: an invite at Susquehanna River Hawk High School on Jan. 10, 2027, and an invitational at Susquehanna High School on Jan. 16, 2027. They limit three athletes per event.
"So this would be a chance to get some younger kids who may not be the number one spot on the team in some meets," Smith said.
Both events charge $25 per athlete with no cap per team, she said.
Other events are more competitive, she said, including the Penn Relays Mile Showcase at the Ott Center for Track and Field on Nov. 24 in Philadelphia. The entry fee is $25 per person.
"We did have two boys interested in this," she said. "You have to meet an elite standard to get into this meet ... but there are some that offer opportunities to some emerging kids to attend."
Smith suggested offering a $2,000 stipend for a coach and travel to four meets a season, as they will also give up their weekends to attend these invitationals. The team can also fundraise to purchase required equipment, such as the roll-out runway.
If the district treats an indoor track team like an independent program, Athletic Director Stacy Kuster said volunteer coaches would get involved.
"The majority of the schools surveyed, that's what they do; they rely on volunteers," she said. "It's more than often the student-athlete's parents that are approved volunteers through the district."
If the district decided to sponsor an indoor track program, she said they would have to add two coaches for the team to function.
Smith said that most varsity coaches are willing to give their time to the program, and Kuster said a spring track team coach already runs off-season practices for those interested. Two coaches are interested in being involved with the program but are unsure if they can make time for a winter program as well.
Athletic director shares information
Kuster also presented her own findings to the board, including input from District 5 and District 6 schools.
Being a varsity-level sport geared toward freshmen to seniors, Kuster said that higher-level student-athletes typically participate. In the past, she said the school indoor track and field students were independent athletes supported by the district.
Plus, the PIAA doesn't currently sponsor an interdistrict championship event for indoor track, she said, similar to sports such as water polo, bowling, gymnastics and rifle. To gain more information about how other schools handle their track and field programs, she sent an email to over 65 District 5 and District 6 schools.
So far, 14 schools have responded, including Bedford Area, Bellefonte Area, Central Cambria, Hollidaysburg Area, Forest Hills, Juniata Valley, Marion Center, Myersdale Area, Portage Area, Somerset Area, Tyrone Area, United, Altoona Area and River Valley school districts.
With 40 District 6 schools sponsoring both boys and girls spring track teams, she said only five sponsor both boys and girls indoor track teams. Only 13 District 5 schools sponsor boys and girls spring track teams, while three sponsor boys indoor track teams and one sponsors girls indoor track teams.
"I would compare indoor track and field to your AAU basketball players, your travel volleyball players, your travel softball and baseball players," she told the board.
Board President Amy Acker-Knisely spoke to a current student athlete who expressed excitement about a potential winter team, as he plans to run track and field in college.
The indoor track team would give "him that showcase that will help him be recognized," she said.
Acting Superintendent Steven Foor recommended that the administration provide no more than $2,000 for a potential indoor track and field season.
"That's why we had the presentation; to get the ball rolling, and we've got to explore all the options," he said.
In other news, the board reviewed the adjusted Act 1 Index at 4.9% for the 2027-28 school year. The adjusted index is slightly higher than last year's number at 4.8%.
As the board will look at the 2027-28 budget in the spring, Foor said 4.9% is the highest percentage the district can raise taxes.
"It's based on the Consumer Price Index, so that was a little higher," he said.
Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.