Fuel prices affect athletic participation, cheerleaders
By PAT FRIDGEN Echo Pilot

Greencastle-Antrim High School football cheerleaders went through a bit of uncertainty this fall, but the wheels on the bus are sort of rolling for them again.

Amid rising transportation costs, the school district cut travel expenses for athletic teams, limiting the number of district-paid buses heading to out-of-town games, especially the farther games, from two to one. This meant that not all 70 football players could attend, let alone the 18 cheerleaders, who in the past had their own bus.

The school did send two buses to the James Buchanan game for the season opener, due to the close proximity of Mercersburg. However, the girls were not able to cheer on the Blue Devils at the West Perry game Sept. 5.

No one was happy with the restriction.

"We don't want to deprive anyone from the experience," said athletic director Vicki Ritchey. "But we couldn't justify sending the cheerleaders as a support group when not even all the players could go."

Those players primarily came from the junior varsity team and they historically attend to watch, since only unusual circumstances would put them into the varsity game.

Ritchey said district officials came up with a solution, despite the doubling of gas prices. "We've worked it out. We send the cheerleaders in school vans now."

The cheerleading coaches, Andrea McCauley and Jessica Thomas, drive the vans. Because they are employees, that is allowed, and they do not need commercial drivers' licenses for the vans.

The Quarterback Club also stepped in. The booster club often hires a coach bus for the team for the long-distance games, and gets reimbursed from the district. Therefore, the players all got to West Perry. The club offered to continue that practice for three games without getting paid back for the driver and gas.

"Absolutely," Ritchey told the members.

She said the district has to stick to its transportation budget to assure funds for the spring sports.

Superintendent C. Gregory Hoover said the players and cheerleaders each pay a $10 athletic participation fee, which offsets costs of the program. That was established years ago and doesn't affect the issue faced today. He said the transportation policy will apply to all sports.

Ritchey hopes the postseason doesn't throw any kinks into the plan. Playoffs could eat into the budget and she will have to keep an eye on the funds for the rest of the school year.

She doesn't foresee a problem during basketball season. The coaches do not invite the cheerleaders to Tuesday night away games because it is a school night. There are also not as many players or cheerleaders. Vans remain an option if necessary.