Published: March 13, 2008 02:50 am      

LOCKPORT: High school adds hockey to school-sponsored sports

Lockport High School hockey scored its greatest goal Wednesday night as the program was officially added to the district’s athletic teams, giving the team “federation” status.

In a 7-to-0 vote, the Lockport Board of Education added hockey as a regular program, which was followed by applause from a standing room only crowd that packed the board conference room on Beattie Avenue. Receiving federation status, or going “fed,” means the sport is sponsored by the district and it will increase the number of teams they can play. Previously, Lockport high school hockey had been a “club” sport, meaning its participants were responsible for all of the costs.

Most of the board members expressed their thanks to the Lockport Club Hockey Association for their proposal, which said the association will assume 100 percent of the costs for the 2008-09 school year. The district will have time to see what the total expenses would be to keep hockey at the federation level, leaving the decision to continue funding up to future Lockport school boards.

“The way this is going to be phased in, it’s going to give us time to see what the total expenses are going to be,” said board secretary Allan Jack. “I think it will be great to have a federation team in Lockport; this is a hockey area.”

Although hockey will not cost the district anything for the 2008-09 school year, the sport will be a regular district-backed sport, such as football or swimming. Students playing hockey will now be held to the same academic standards as other student athletes “starting tonight,” Superintendent Terry Ann Carbone said.

Hockey players will be transported by bus to and from practices and games for insurance purposes. Board Vice President John Linderman said the association has assured it will meet transportation costs. In the original proposal, the association overestimated the cost of equipment, so the leftover amount could be put toward the transportation costs.

While it is expected most will have their own equipment, Carbone said the district would be able to provide equipment if students couldn’t afford it. The hockey team would also be a part of the “umbrella” insurance policy, just like other district-sponsored sports.

Board member David Nemi said he received calls from people worried that funding for other school sports would be cut as a result of the district adding hockey.

“I assured them that was not a part of the package and that would not happen,” Nemi said.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick

at 439-9222, ext. 6241.