LHS Ski Team Seeks Full Funding From Schools

A petitioned warrant article for the school district to fully fund the Londonderry High School ski team is set to face voters, which will cost $8,500 between the coaching stipend, transportation and entry fees.

According to LHS Athletic Director Howard Sobolov, the team has been self-funded as a club sport for seven years, but has competed in competitive events just like any other team at the school.

He said that participation has consistently increased and there are now almost 30 students on the team.

"I felt that after seven years of demonstrating that the numbers were going to be stable or increase, (it) was a fair amount of time for them to raise money on their own," he said.

"The program is a strong program," Sobolov added. "We have a solid coach."

Sobolov said that there are other advantages given to the program if it is fully funded as a team sport.

The students qualify for all of the different awards that the school has to offer and they can earn varsity letters.

As part of the cost, $4,380 would go to the coach stipend, $1,700 to transportation for nine meets and $2,420 for the entry fees to those meets.

The team has also had recent success, with the girls team finishing third in the state last year and the boys finishing as high as fourth.

Sobolov said that it was always the intention for the program to be funded after a reasonable amount of time.

Previously, parents and kids on the team raised money to fund all of the costs involved.

Sobolov added that the team is not to be mistaken for the Londonderry Ski Club, which is not funded through the schools, but rather through the town.