Monday, March 7, 2022 the Faribault Public School Board has a Special Board Meeting to discuss a request by BA for a Cooperative agreement between the two schools.
The request is for boys and girls track meaning Bethlehem Academy’s only solo spring sport will be softball if the co-op is approved by the Board.
Friesen indicated other schools are also seeing lower numbers in particular in baseball. He did not know why but he theorized having no spring sports in 2020 and no American Legion Baseball that summer simply sapped interest from many players.
In a memo to Superintendent Sesker Faribault Public Schools Activities Director Kevin Kleiner states, “We believe the formation of a cooperative sponsorship beginning in the 2022 season with Bethlehem Academy for Baseball is in our best interest to help sustain and grow our baseball program. Based on our participation numbers from the Spring of 2021 and known changes to student participation for the 2022 season, we project in 2022 to less than 30 high school baseball players.”
29 in grades 9 through 12 are projected with 16 at the middle school level.
Kleiner also points out, “The cooperative sponsorship arrangements with Bethlehem Academy including financial agreements will be the same as in our other cooperative sponsorship programs.
Kleiner says Faribault Public Schools have adequate numbers in both the Girls and Boys Track and Field programs; however, “There is strength in having larger numbers in a sport like Track and Field. Generally all participants have the opportunity to compete in meets due to how meets are formatted for participants so this would not be preventing opportunities for FPS students. We have a cooperative sponsorship in Cross Country with Bethlehem Academy, so having a cooperative sponsorship in Track and Field is a natural fit.”
Below is a podcast of the Saturday Faribault Coaches Show from Bashers Restaurant and the Faribowl Center.
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