Today we focus on the big picture and take a look at how the state’s budget problems might affect high school football specifically.

Will the new state budget have an effect on high school football in the East Bay?

This is actually a question I’ve gotten via email from several people, so I figured it would be good to clear up a few of the misconceptions floating around.

First of all, we expect every school that had football last year to have it again this year. Even with budgets being slashed, football has always been kind of its own creature. Fundraising for football is often much more vigorous than in other sports, and booster clubs are much more prevalent. If there was one sport that could even try self-funding, it would be football.

That said, teams are certainly looking to tighten their belts a little. You may not see it a ton this year (there are still some long trips on some schedules), but I’d expect that coaches will start scheduling a bit closer to home starting next year. It’s going to become increasingly unreasonable to ask school administration to fork over money for hotels, long bus rides, etc. So, I think we’ll start to see teams playing more in their own backyard.

Another aspect that may change (even starting this year) is how equipment, stadium upgrades, and the like get funded. I’d suspect that most programs will start turning to booster clubs a little more to get the extras. Want new uniforms? You better have your own way to pay for them.

Finally, the biggest impact the economy is going to have on high school football is in turnout. We’re already seeing that teams are getting less kids coming out because, in many cases, they’re having to choose what sports they want to play more carefully. Coaches may have to start recruiting on campus a bit harder to fill out the rosters.

On the whole, I wouldn’t expect to see many changes this season. Friday night football is going to be the same. The lights will still work, the lines will still be chalked. Most of the economic shakedown is going to come in the other sports, so I’d say enjoy football season while you can.