Sparta Ski Team – Call for Unified Advocacy

May 6, 2026

Thank you to everyone who has stepped up to advocate for the Sparta Ski Team as an interscholastic sport; your voices are making an impact. Sign the petition (coming soon on Change.org) for the Sparta Ski Team to remain an interscholastic sport, and be sure to attend the next Sparta BOE meeting at 7 pm on May 28th at the Mohawk Avenue School.

To keep everyone aligned and focused on what is best for our student-athletes, here are the key points:

• Budget Impact & Funding Changes

Budget reductions are imminent, and the Sparta Ski Team is being considered as part of these adjustments. We are requesting clarity on both the rationale and the financial impact, including the specific dollar amount being considered.

In addition, the BOE plans to remove coverage of the NJISRA athlete participation fee ($300 per athlete for 2025–26; 21 athletes = $6,300 total) and shift this cost directly to families.

We understand the district is operating under budget constraints and are open to working collaboratively on financial solutions that preserve access and keep the program intact. However, transparency around both the proposed cuts and the funding shift is essential as we evaluate the full impact on families and the program.

• Proposed Reclassification to “Club/Activity” - NOT ACCEPTABLE

The BOE and Athletic Department are now referring to the ski team as a co-curricular activity (similar to DECA or Robotics), rather than an interscholastic sport. At the recent meeting, Dr. Beck stated that “skiing is no longer an NJSIAA sport, so it is going to move to club.”

However, Sparta skiing has operated for approximately 50 years under NJSIAA interscholastic athletic standards and expectations. Whether skiing was formally sanctioned by the NJSIAA is a separate and currently debated issue.

Reclassification of ski racing as a club or activity is not an acceptable solution. It is not a neutral administrative change; it fundamentally alters the program’s structure, oversight, competitive access, funding model, liability framework, and long-term sustainability. Most importantly, it directly impacts student-athletes.

Why this matters

If ski racing is no longer recognized as an interscholastic sport, it raises fundamental concerns about whether the program can continue to function in any meaningful competitive capacity. Key areas affected include:

Athletic oversight and governance
Competitive access and league participation
Transportation and school-supported resources
Funding structure and financial responsibility
Coaching standards and program continuity
Liability, insurance, and safety oversight

• Key Questions Raised by Reclassification

If ski racing is no longer an interscholastic sport, the following must be clearly addressed:

Will transportation (busing) to training and competition venues continue at the same level as other varsity sports?
Will athletes still earn Varsity letters and receive athletic awards recognition?
Will Ski Team participation continue to be recognized as a varsity sport on college applications, resumes, and official school records?
Will team accomplishments be formally recognized (banners, trophy cases, school-wide athletic recognition)?
Will athletes retain the same access to athletic facilities and school-supported resources as other varsity teams?
Will seniors continue to be recognized at Monogram Dinner and other athletic ceremonies?
Will coaches remain certified and subject to the same hiring standards, background checks, and athletic department oversight as other sports?
Will student-athletes remain subject to the same health, eligibility, compliance, and background check requirements?
Will return-to-play and injury protocols remain under athletic department and physician-guided oversight?
Will insurance coverage remain aligned with interscholastic athletic risk standards?
Will the student code of conduct continue to reflect varsity athletic expectations and enforcement?
Will scheduling priority for practices, training time, and facility access remain consistent with other athletic programs?
Will program continuity be maintained year to year with stable coaching, funding, and administrative support?
Will reclassification increase liability exposure or shift responsibility to families, coaches, or the ski boosters?

• Governing Structure & Competition Impact

Clubs are not permitted under NJISRA rules. Reclassification would eliminate participation in:

Sanctioned races
Gate training opportunities within the league structure

From NJISRA Team Requirements:

“All participating high schools must confirm that their ski team is administered as an interscholastic winter sport of their school, and not as a club activity of their school, with the same approval, oversight, and requirements as other varsity sports.”

https://njisra.org/teams/team-requirements

• Let’s Stay Focused

Alpine ski racing meets every definition of a high school sport: structured competition, governed rules, rigorous training demands, and objective, measurable performance.

It is not simply “going down a hill.” It is a technical and highly demanding athletic discipline requiring precision, timing, strength, and the ability to perform under pressure. Athletes train throughout the winter for runs decided by hundredths of a second.

Alpine ski racing is clearly not a club activity. It is a competitive sport aligned with the standards and structure of governing bodies such as the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard, collegiate programs such as the NCAA/USCSA, and Olympic-level competition.

• Our Position Moving Forward

We understand the district is facing budget pressures, and we are willing to engage constructively in finding financial solutions to preserve our sport.

However, reclassifying ski racing as a club or activity is not an acceptable solution, as it fundamentally changes the nature, safety structure, and competitive integrity of the program. It also reduces the experience and recognition afforded to student-athletes as members of an interscholastic sports team, as opposed to a general school activity, along with the standards, oversight, and support systems that define high school athletics.

• Our Goal

Our goal is to ensure that Sparta Ski remains an interscholastic Sports Team as it has been for over 50 years.

We are requesting a clear answer from Sparta High School:

Will SHS annually sign the NJISRA Team Membership Requirement form?

https://njisra.org/cm/uploads/njisra-ski-team-membership-renewal-application-9-22-25.pdf

If yes, we request it be completed promptly for the upcoming season.
If no, there will be no interscholastic ski team.

NOTE: All 26 NJ high school ski teams currently participating have signed the NJISRA requirement confirming that their ski team is administered as an interscholastic sport, not a club activity.