Now they can see how bad they are from above.

I have to say that anyone who thinks that high school sports programs are a waste of money really doesn't understand the details of what is going on.

With any high school sports program there is much more taught than how to "knock teeth out". Sports are about teaching kids about life; how hard work can result in positive outcomes and provide a winning attitude about themselves. Not to mention the fact that it keeps kids out of trouble after school and on Friday nights.

Finally, does anyone have any idea what a value the community is getting with these programs? Since the coaching staffs are made up of low paid and volunteer coaches that put in countless hours of work, society is getting these services for probably less than a $1/hour. You tell me where the community can get a better deal dealing with youth and creating the responsible members of society for the future.

Please be educated about what you are commenting on before throwing valuable programs like this under the bus.

How about they just drop the Football team at Ballard High? That way we don't have bozos running around a field knocking each others' teeth out, and as a bonus, we don't have reckless 5 grand spending for a failing team in a time of economic need. And then they can sack the cheerleading team, as well, so we don't have impressionable teenage girls shaking their butts to the latest rap song and sexually objectifying themselves to please said football team.

They should have given that $5K to the Office Max woman, if nothing else. Jesus Christ, what a waste of money.

this sounds like a big, fat waste of money.

it's obvious from last year's record that this team could use some help, but I really don't think a better angle in the video footage will help players improve their skills.

PS Please note the parents night out fundraiser listed at the end of the article..a perfect example of where this money comes from..that and the chuck wagon..and car washes...etc...etc..

School funding isn't really that complicated, and this sort of spending isn't new.
Wouldn't it be worse to keep spending hush hush? I would guess that the Ballard Athletic Booster Club was responsible for this sort of fundraising and spending. They seem to be very transparent in how and what they support in our local high school.

Wow. I know that school funding works in really complicated ways and probably the money to buy a $5000 camera-lifter-upper couldn't have been used to pay salaries. Or at least I assume that.

But you'd think that they'd want to keep big-ticket spending kind of hush-hush right about the time 7 staff members are being laid off. Not so good for the PR.

This is BALLARD JR. FOOTBALL!!!

This has NOTHING to do with the school system OR IT'S FUNDING!

BJF is an independetly non-profit organization run by Ballard area parents and dedicated, hard working coaches that love these kids..
Kinda like if the

Ballard Jr. Football has helped A LOT of young men AND WOMEN keep focused, involved and out of trouble. It is a fun filled & grueling program that teaches the kids respect, hard work, physical fitness and time management.

ALL the money for the uniforms, helmets, paying for the fields, referies, tall camera poles and everything else is raised by the fund raising sweat of the players and parents' brows!
SHEESH!!!!!!

We clarified the post. This is Ballard High School football, not Ballard Jr. Football.

Where in the article is mentioned anything about Junior football? This talks about Coach Bowers, who I believe coaches for Ballard High, yes? I guess he wears more than one hat -- I just assumed this camera was something for use in BHS games and practice.

At any rate, like I said, I'm sure the revenue streams are completely separate and it's not like the camera /bothers/ me, it's just terrible PR -- assuming that it does have something to do with the BHS football team.

I thought Coach Bowers worked for SPS.
I know that the fundraising event mentioned on the 13th is for the HS football teams jerseys/