Can Residents Afford to Commit to Student Athletic Programs?

Michael Preston said that when he first came to Bartlett Yancey High School (BYHS) as Athletic Director a year ago, he was expecting a "Friday Night Lights" environment.

The popular television drama, "Friday Night Lights" told the story of a high school football team that was the social center of a fictional, close-knit, rural Texas community.

Preston explained that since BYHS was the only high school in rural Caswell County, he had assumed that high school sporting events would be more popular here and seen as key threads in the social fabric of our community, like in "Friday Night Lights." He said he had envisioned the whole town coming out to support the local team at games and seeing Buccaneer mascots in the windows of all the local businesses.

Preston admits that he was disappointed to instead find half-empty bleachers and low participation rates.

"Do you have to win to get excited, or do you have to get excited to win," Preston asked, comparing it to the question of which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

He explained that having only one high school and middle school, could be a tremendous advantage, making it easy to "grow" your own athletes, especially if there are youth sports programs to help teach and reinforce the fundamentals to younger children and during the off season.

Preston said the biggest drawback to the size of the district, other than funding limitations, was that with a smaller student population, you had fewer student athletes which ultimately led to less incentive for student athletes to train hard to secure a spot on the team.

"It has to be a priority, and it requires commitment" Preston said, explaining that he believes it takes a collective community effort to build strong high school athletic programs.

The Cost of Commitment

Preston is not alone in his belief that commitment is the key to success.

Earlier this year, Coach Angela Outzs credited the Dillard Volleyball team's successful back-to-back championships to the level of commitment shown by the players and their families.

"They worked hard, even in the off season," Outzs said, acknowledging that families often sacrificed time and money for players to further develop their skills through travel teams.

Outzs has coached Volleyball in Caswell County for more than 30 years.

Jeff Joyce, Athletic Director at N. L. Dillard Middle School shared that student participation is fairly high at the middle school level, when students are often trying new sports for the first time but said that transportation is a significant barrier for many.

Joyce pointed out that cost was also a barrier for many families. Participation in travel teams can cost hundreds of dollars a year.

"I have some families who struggle to pay a $25 uniform fee for PE, they cannot afford a $40 registration fee at Parks and Rec, much less hundreds of dollars on travel ball," Joyce explained.

He shared that even participation in "free" sports programs like those offered through the schools came at a price, pointing to gate fees as one example.

Gate fees at the high school are $10 and set by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. Annual all-sports student passes were available last year for around $80 with a family pass costing just under $240. Season passes for the upcoming year will be available online at https://gofan.co by the middle of August.

At the year-end athletic banquet, Marvin Wimbush, Girls Basketball Coach at BYHS, pointed out that many student athletes work after school, limiting their ability to fully participate in athletics.

Randy Jefferson, Director of Caswell Parks and Recreation said that he is working to develop more youth sports programs that focus on skill development, but that the success of those programs relies heavily on the commitment of community members, specifically, unpaid volunteer coaches.

"I can provide the place, the scheduling, insurance, and even equipment, but we need coaches," Jefferson explained. "I can provide the opportunity, but we need adults who are willing and able to stick with these kids."

Approximately 73% of Caswell's workforce works outside of the county.

According to the myFutureNC 2026 Attainment Profile for Caswell:

• Only 38.8% of adults (ages 25-44) in Caswell County earned a family sustaining wage, compared to 41.45% in peer counties and the state's 57.8%
• 19.9% of youth (ages 16-24) were labeled "Opportunity Youth," meaning they were not employed or enrolled in school, compared to 14% in peer counties and the state's 10.3%
• 26.5% of children in Caswell are in poverty, compared to the state's 16.5%

Research has consistently shown that participation in youth sports significantly improves a child's physical and mental health, and improves leadership, confidence, and social skills.

A 2025 research brief, "The Benefits of Scholastic Athletics" published by the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago, found that "on average, participation in scholastic athletics benefits participants, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds" and concluded that "scholastic athletics is a vehicle for social mobility, facilitating educational, social and economic opportunities."

Through recent Caswell County Community Health Assessments and Community Improvement Plans, community members named increased participation in structured youth activities as a key strategy for improving the overall health and well-being of Caswell County.

Community Commitment and Funding Not Enough

Coaches, parents, athletes and others actively involved in local youth sports also name consistency, collaboration, and clear communication as critical to developing successful youth sports programming in Caswell County.

Michael Preston's last day with Caswell County Schools is June 30. He explained that if he had stayed, the School District would have required that he obtain his teaching certification and carry a three-class load.

During recent budget discussions, members of the Caswell County Board of Education suggested the District assign the duties of the high school athletic director to an assistant principal, as has been done in the past.

Read more about how school athletics and youth sports/recreation is funded HERE.

Read more about committed coaches HERE.