Young gymnasts competing for the Sioux Falls School District will likely need to find a new place to perform.
At Monday night’s Sioux Falls school board meeting, a tentative, but unanimous, approval of the next district budget put gymnastics on the chopping block.
Angie Allen is a local parent with kids involved with gymnastics. She said there’s no reason young women should have to battle for their sport.
“The superintendent said we are normally in the business of adding, and not cutting," Allen said. "We took that message to heart, and we were determined to lift this heavy burden off your shoulders and demonstrate we have solutions, so you don’t have to cut gymnastics. The lack of transparency regarding the process has been unsettling, and to force young women to come before the board to beg to participate in the sport they love is appalling.”
Student athletes also addressed the board. Anna Leuning is a junior gymnast at Lincoln High School. She reflected on what the loss of gymnastics would represent.
“The removal of gymnastics means no source for girls to show up and bring their talents, strengths and personalities to the plate," Leuning said. "Having the opportunity to do gymnastics gives young women the most important lessons, both physical and emotional, while going through one of the most difficult and emotional times of our teenage years.”
Board vice president Carly Reiter said budget writing is never an easy process.
“It is our responsibility as a board to make decisions that will be in the best interest of the greatest number of students," Reiter said. "Ultimately for me, I need to know that the Sioux Falls School District can fully support a program at an acceptable level on a long-term basis. After reviewing participation numbers locally and trends nationally, reviewing equipment needs and projected participation, for me I feel like the answer for the budget this year is to not continue to budget these funds.”
The gymnastics program represents an investment of roughly $75,000 in a budget topping $325 million for over three dozen student gymnasts.