"We’re excited about yet another partnership,” says Dr. Thomas White, Superintendent of Spartanburg District 7. Dr. White would like for District 7 to be a premier district which attracts families not only for academics but athletics.
Three phases of projects include a $1.5 million multi-purpose field, a $3.6 million athletic complex, and a $2.4 million athletic field and mondo track. Wednesday the District announced a golf partnership with The Country Club of Spartanburg. According to White, "Our student athletes will be able to use the practice facilities, as well as the course." He says it will benefit the District's boy’s and girl’s varsity and junior varsity golf teams. That’s about 48 students according to White.
It’s a 15-year-partnership with two options for an additional 5 years each, requiring a $200,000 initial investment and $5,000 annually. 7 On Your Side wanted to know how the District can afford such a project when other districts say they are having trouble making ends meet. White says, "Yeah, you know, my heart goes out to other school districts, and especially other school districts outside of Spartanburg County,” but he says his responsibility to manage Spartanburg District 7. "We have managed our funds such a way that we will be able to weather this storm at least for a foreseeable short period of time, when we believe things will turn around and get better," White told News Channel 7.
Reporter: “Are any children or academics going to suffer as a result of this investment?
White: “There won't be anyone suffering as a result of this investment."
White asks you to consider this. With the new partnership, White says the District's annual average expenditure per golf team member will be roughly $415, less than all of the District’s sports teams including lacrosse, basketball and football. He says the average for most team players is around $500, but that the average annual basketball player expenditure ranges from $900-$1100. White says the annual expenditure per football player is $3500, more than eight times that of a golfer.
White says, the bottom line is, "We do have our priorities in order and we are not going to sit on our hands and not take advantage of other opportunities that come our way.
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From Spartanburg District 7:
District 7 Announces Athletic Partnership with The Country Club of Spartanburg
Spartanburg School District Seven is pleased to announce an athletic partnership with The Country Club of Spartanburg for its golf program. The contract will extend an existing informal relationship into a partnership that will allow the District 7 golf program to practice and play on its course for up to 25 years. The agreement is in effect for the Spring 2009 season.
“We are fortunate to have a facility and course of The Country Club of Spartanburg’s caliber within our district lines. This agreement establishes an official partnership that will guarantee practice and play on the golf facilities for four varsity and junior varsity boys and girls teams, an upwards of 48 student-athletes, for an extended period of time, initially 15 years with two options for an additional 5 years each, for a total potential partnership of 25 years,” stated Superintendent Thomas White. “This agreement will make it possible for golf sport facilities that are in concert with those we provide for other sports such as baseball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track and certainly football. This will be of the same nature as our agreement with Wofford College for the use of Gibbs stadium, and something of which we can be very proud.”
The new agreement will guarantee District 7’s access to the much-improved practice facilities at the Club as well as practice play on the vastly improved course. The agreement also provides for player and spectator access for home matches and tournaments for teams competing with Spartanburg High School. District 7’s student-athletes will have access to facilities on par with collegiate teams such as Wofford, Furman and others. Similar to the Gibbs Stadium agreement, this agreement consists of an initial licensing fee as well as a minimal yearly maintenance fee. Part of the licensing fee will go toward the construction of a practice putting green that will used by the student-athletes, separating them from the collegiate players from Wofford as dictated by the NCAA regulations. District 7 will be involved in the design of the putting green, also overseeing its construction.
Each year, The Country Club of Spartanburg hosts the Bobby Chapman Junior Invitational, a nationally touted junior event that plays host to the top juniors from around the country. In the past, The Country Club of Spartanburg has also hosted such tournaments as the Carolinas PGA, Carolinas Open, Carolinas Amateur and the South Carolina Amateur Championships. It has also served as a qualifying site for the United States Open, United States Women’s Open, United States Amateur and Mid Amateur Championships. Having this as the home course for Spartanburg Vikings may maximize students’ opportunities to succeed in these and other tournaments.
“Just think of the experience young men and women on the junior varsity and varsity golf teams will have practicing and playing on such a premier course. It may ignite a passion for the sport that could parlay into a life-long hobby or more importantly, enable our students to continue their education into college by means of athletic scholarships,” stated Dr. White.
Dr. White added, “Our district has a tradition of looking to the community for access to resources that would be beneficial to our students. We have partnerships in place with community organizations including Piedmont Community Actions, The Arts Partnership, Urban League of the Upstate, as well as close connections with The City of Spartanburg, Converse College, Wofford College, USC-Upstate and many others. We are able to provide resources and experiences to our students that would not be possible otherwise.”
The golf partnership will complement the Athletic Facilities Projects currently underway within District 7, which entails three phases around Spartanburg High School and Duncan Park. The first phase includes construction of the multi-purpose field, located directly across Dupre Drive from Spartanburg High School. The second phase is a comprehensive project that will completely overhaul Spartanburg High School’s on-campus athletic facilities including construction of tennis courts, soccer fields, bleacher seating, parking facilities and more. The third and final phase includes a state-of-the-art Mondo track as well as an athletic field featuring a synthetic turf surface. This part of the project was partially funded by a $200,000 NFL Grassroots grant. Spartanburg School District Seven was nominated for the grant by the Carolina Panthers. The project will also include revamped parking, storage and restroom facilities and a shot put field.
The District will continue to explore partnerships and collaborations for their athletic facilities and programs, and other innovative ideas as a means of providing a bevy of outstanding athletic opportunities for all students. Under the guidelines of Title IX, District 7 specifically looks for opportunities that pertain to women’s sports. “We are pleased that this partnership will extend athletic opportunities to our female student-athletes,” Superintendent Thomas White stated. “Maintaining and increasing access to athletic programs for the many young women in our district is a priority.”
“The Board of Trustees and community have clearly articulated very high expectations for excellence and innovation in all aspects of education in Spartanburg District 7, including athletics, arts, and activities” commented Dr. White. “Accomplishing this goal within our athletic program requires investment in facilities, coaches, and partnerships for access to world-class facilities.”
Lewis Miller, President of The Country Club of Spartanburg, welcomed the student-athletes stating, “We are pleased to formalize our partnership with District 7. We are proud of our golf course and facilities. We are proud to have a partnership with Wofford College, and now Spartanburg School District Seven. It is our pleasure to welcome and assist the student-athletes of District 7’s golf teams. Like the City of Spartanburg, we are always interested in the success of District 7.”
“Speaking on behalf of the Board,” stated Chip Hurst, “I want to thank Mr. Larry Flynn and Dr. White for spearheading this project for District 7. Our gratitude to the leadership of The Country Club of Spartanburg cannot be overstated. Our goal is to provide the students of District 7 with the absolute best. We are so fortunate to formalize an agreement to provide our students with the use of the most magnificent practice facility and golf course located in District 7 for as much as 25 years.”
Erika Shoolbred, Director of Information Services
elshoolbred@spart7.org
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