Athletics director calls for press-box, coaching and turf investments as contracted costs rise

Brian, the districtathletic director, told the committee the athletics program has achieved individual and team successes across fall, winter and spring seasons — state finalists, league MVPs and individual scoring milestones — and remains an important recruitment and retention tool for the district.

On finances, Brian said the athletics budget covers roughly 60 to 61 coaching stipends across middle and high school teams and that rentals are the largest recurring expense (about $90,000 total, with roughly $65,000 attributed to ice time). He listed other recurring costs: officials, transportation, training services (athletic trainer contracted through Mass General Brigham), police details, field maintenance and uniform replacement.

Brian identified near-term capital priorities: replacing a deteriorating press box (options include prefabricated modules and a community fundraising campaign), adding a stipend-funded strength and conditioning coach to support daily weight-room usage (he estimated ~100 student-athlete daily users), and planning for turf replacement (GMAX testing shows seams and high-use areas beginning to show wear). He recommended partnering with boosters, the reactivated PEO Education Foundation and exploring grant options to fund these projects.

The committee and director discussed timelines, potential community fundraising roles, and whether certain capital options would be eligible for Community Preservation Committee or other town funding; members requested follow-up on grant eligibility and alternative interim staffing solutions (e.g., interns from nearby colleges).