Expansion of high-priced athletic programs on west side of County continues unabated; just completed adding soccer practice field and women’s soccer team; does enamored focus on athletics  ignore major real unmet educational needs in significant areas of the County outside Prescott?

Despite what many would argue are significant unmet community college needs outside the Prescott area, the Yavapai Community College has announced it is returning men’s and women’s basketball to the Prescott Campus with the  first games to be held in November 2022. 
The Community College will have baseball, softball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, women’s basketball and men’s basketball all based in Prescott. It will also have a softball field, baseball field, two leased soccer fields, a practice soccer field and gymnasium only in the Prescott area. Dormitory facilities to house all of the athletes are located only on the Prescott Campus.

The basketball program was cut back in 2010 when the Community College claimed that state aid was forcing large across-the-board belt tightening. This included major reductions in staff and administrators on the east side of the County – not on the Prescott based west side.

Astonishingly, just two years (December 2012)  after claiming major cutbacks were necessary because of extreme financial considerations, the Community College announced a $103.5 (at one time $119) million rebuild/renovation development program with over 95% going to the Prescott Campus area. More astonishing is the fact it intended to spend that money without a tax increase or a general obligation bond drive. 

Since its announcement back in 2012-13, the Community College has plowed ahead with the millions in development as originally planned back in 2012 with hardly a whimper about a lack of funding.  

Now, with educational needs going unmet in various areas around a County the size  of Rhode Island, the Community College is announcing that men’s and women’s basketball will return in 2022.  These programs bring little if anything to  vast areas of the County because of disinterest, no public transportation to them, and extremely long and dangerous drives to attend them.  They are more accoutrements for the Prescott Campus and citizens on the west side of the  County living in the immediate Prescott area.

The search for hiring coaches for both programs has already begun. It is expected that the  new coaching hires will be formally announced on November 18, 2021  at Yavapai College’s Basketball Celebration at Walraven Gymnasium to kick off the start of the reinstated programs.

Dr. Lisa B. Rhine, President of Yavapai College is quoted as saying:  “Basketball is a popular sport and a great way to bring the community together. After several conversations with both internal and external constituents and with the financial support of a generous donor, we decided to bring basketball back to YC.”

Vice President of Community Relations & Student Development Rodney Jenkins says, “we plan to create an atmosphere that is both fun and family-friendly, making [the Community College]  a great destination for local family fun. Both men’s and women’s basketball are rooted in the history of this institution, and we are all excited to welcome back the game, our alumni, and community to help us grow our programs.”

The donor contribution alluded to by Dr. Rhine  is what some consider a fairly typical approach used by Institutions to start programs and projects that would be extremely unpopular in some quarters.  (Who and how much was donated remains a mystery to the public.) However, after a few months or years, the taxpayers who support the Institutions are left holding the financial bag, so to speak, as donor funds evaporate.  (Take for example, the current approximate $1 million dollar renovation/replacement costs associated with the roof and air conditioning at the Performing Arts Center or the hundreds of thousands, probably millions of dollars since it was first built,  in subsidized funds  paid out by taxpayers  to keep the  Center going.)

Too bad for the rest of Yavapai  County.

This effort  is in part a response to concerns from Third District Representative Mr. Paul Chevalier and others that the multi-million dollar athletic program serves  only the Prescott area

Coming to Mingus Union High School Sept 8 and Sept 22

Yavapai Community College has ignored the Verde Valley Community for decades when it comes to any effort to develop an athletic program. Meanwhile, it has poured hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars,  into developing the program on the Prescott Campus.

There have been very strong complaints lodged by  Valley citizens and its representatives at various times since 2012 about spending Verde Valley taxpayers money to support the Community College’s burgeoning multi-million dollar athletic program with no return for Valley citizens. Third District representative Paul Chevalier has raised his voice to  make the concerns known at the Governing Board level.

In response to those voices, the present administration, headed by Dr. Lisa Rhine, is attempting to address some of those concerns.  For example, a week or so ago the Community College  announced that it  had  established a new Annual Fund with its Foundation to support the athletic department. If successful, this Fund will relieve  County taxpayers of the burden of providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual scholarships to student athletes, most of whom do not live in the County, often do not live in Arizona, and occasionally do not live in the United States.

In a quiet news release dated September 1, 2021, the Community College took another step to address the Valley’s concerns by announcing it was going to hold two upcoming Volleyball matches at Mingus Union High School. The first match is scheduled for Wednesday, September 8, 2021, 7:00 p.m.  at Mingus Union High School in Cottonwood.  The opponent is  Ottawa University of Arizona. The second will be held  Wednesday, September 22, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. at Mingus Union High School in Cottonwood and the opponent is  Arizona Christian University.

This is the first time in decades the Prescott based administration has sought to seriously address some of the vast athletic department inequities that exist between Community College development on the east and west sides of Yavapai County—a county larger than many states.

In the Community College’s  news release, Vice President of Community Relations Rodney Jenkins is quoted as saying that “Yavapai College is committed to providing educational, cultural enrichment, and athletic opportunities to all of Yavapai County. I am excited to bring volleyball competitions to the residents in the Verde Valley. These are just the first of many [Community College] athletic competitions in the Verde Valley. We are also  planning baseball and softball games this spring, and we plan to continue to increase the number of competitions in the future.”

The athletic programs, all of which emanate from the Prescott Campus, annually spend  an estimated $1.7 million in coaching salaries and related expenses.  In addition, they provide athletes with about $650,000 in scholarship assistance from the College’s General Fund.

At the April 2020 Governing Board meeting, the issue of scholarships and out-county recruitment was raised by Third District Representative Paul Chevalier.  In response to his questions, it was learned that the College is taking major steps to change how it handles athletic scholarships and recruiting.  This included seeking to raise funds to support the scholarship program.

At the  October 2020  Governing Board meeting, the Community College announced a five-year plan was in the works to use the Foundation to support all athletic scholarships and  a plan to lower  out-state tuition for athletes that will allow a wider national recruiting by coaches.

Mr. Chevalier has constantly raised issues regarding equitable distribution of resources and the cost of the athletic department, which does not benefit the entire  County.  The most recent decisions by the Community College president appear  to be another victory for his persistent efforts in this area.

Note:  Both of the volleyball matches are free for all ages to attend. They  will also be live-streamed at www.goroughriders.com. The first 25 people in attendance will receive a free duffle bag from Yavapai College.

Source: Yavapai Community College press release dated September 1, 2021.