Martin Welles Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022

Good Evening Mayor Bowser, DME Kihn, Members of DC Council, Chancellor Ferebee and DCPS: 

My name is Marty Welles and I have three children at Jackson-Reed High School. My children participate in a total of 7 different sports – Soccer (Fall); Cross-Country (Fall); Cheerleading (Year-Round); Ultimate (Year-Round); Track (Winter/Spring); Lacrosse (Fall/Spring); and Softball (Spring). All of these teams have DCIAA and DCPS requirements for equipment, gear, uniforms, coaches, physical trainers, referees, bus transportation, conduct, grades, and attendance. All of these teams use DCPS facilities (when available) for conditioning, practice, and games. All of the teams report to the school’s athletic director. 

DCPS needs to provide an annual grant to DCIAA in its budget so that unfunded high school sports teams throughout DCPS can proudly represent our city and our schools while competing under the DCIAA banner. A start-up budget of $15,000 per unfunded team would go a long way toward establishing equity in sports throughout DCPS. 

Right now, schools that can’t raise about $15,000 per year from their parents, can’t have a lacrosse team, a field hockey team, a bowling team, an archery team, an ultimate team, a hockey team, or a crew team. This is despite the fact that many unfunded high school sports are funded at the middle school level – archery and lacrosse are two examples. 

Estimated cost for an unfunded team: 

$ Head coach – $3,000 (in season) (required by DCIAA) 

$ Assistant coach – $1,000 (in season) (required by DCIAA based on team size) 

$ Athletic Trainers – $2,800 (8 home games x $175 per hour x 2 hours) (required by DCIAA) 

$ Referees – $2,400 ($100 per hour x 3 referees x 8 home games) (required by DCIAA) 

$ Uniforms – $2,000 (annual cost for game and practice – $6,000 every three years) 

$ Bus Transportation – $4,000 (8 away games at $500 each round-trip) 

$ Gear –

• o $1,000 Ultimate (discs, cones) 

• $10,000 Lacrosse (pads, helmet sticks, balls, nets, etc.) 

Some high school teams have less costs (such as Ultimate) others have more (such as boys and girls lacrosse. Welles – Testimony FY2023 DCPS Budget – November 16, 2022 

By placing $250,000 in the budget, DCIAA can issue grants each season to unfunded teams that apply. A grant-type program alleviates DCIAA from the majority of its administrative work, such as scheduling, tournaments, uniform procurement, etc. As more teams begin to field teams, then the $250,000 budget can be increased each year. 

If DCIAA doesn’t want to mess with the grant process, allow non-profits to bid on the opportunity to distribute grants. Capital Community Partners, of which I serve on the Board, has a proven track record of serving youth in our community through the Feed the Feeder program. 

This is about equity and inclusion, mental and physical health, creating opportunities for all of our youth. 

I thank you for your time and I look forward to partnering with each of you again this year. We have a lot of work to do, but I am proud to be able to send my children to public school in the District of Columbia. 

Thank you, 

Martin Welles 

Parent of 3 Children at Jackson-Reed High School (DCPS) 

Board of Directors, Capital Community Partners (Ward 8 HQ) 

Member, Student Assignment and Boundary Committee 

Member, Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Cabinet 

Board of Directors, Capitol Hill Little League – Treasurer 

LL.M. Georgetown University Law Center – Taxation 

LL.M. George Washington Law School with Highest Honors – Litigation 

J.D. Loyola New Orleans – International Law 

M.A. Loyola New Orleans – Communications 

B.A. Viterbo University 

A.A. University of Wisconsin – La Crosse