The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

Cumberland man wants public schools to offer seniors, children discounts sporting events
* Board member Metz: 'It's an idea worth exploring'

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Jan. 13 -- A Cumberland man wants the Allegany County Board of Education to consider offering discount to senior citizens and children who want to watch sports at public high schools.

The current admission fee is $5 per adult and $3 for children, said Tim Scaletta, the board's supervisor of athletics. Mike Hutson said he and his wife go to see their granddaughter, Kayla Hutson, play for the Fort Hill girls basketball team up to twice a week. That adds up, he said.

Hutson spoke Tuesday at the Board of Education's monthly meeting in Cumberland and said that he's noticed other schools, such as Frankfort in Mineral County, W.Va., and the private Bishop Walsh School offer such discounts. Hutson acknowledged both schools fall under different jurisdictions than the Allegany County public school system.

"I think it's an idea worth exploring,' said board member Jeff Metz, whose father pays full price to watch games at Mountain Ridge High School. "he said the same thing to me. My own dad. He's 76. He's asked me about senior discounts."

Hutson said the idea could be taken a step further and applied to children as well. He said parents of three, four or five children who can't afford to hire a babysitter should get in for free. Charging for children so young is "pretty ridiculous," he said, especially when those children likely make up those admission fees at the concession stand.

Metz said the district staff should evaluate the potential revenue loss and talk with administrators while looking into the issue.

Meanwhile, Kayla Hutson played Wednesday's home game against crosstown rival Allegany without her grandparents in the stands. Her grandparents often are joined by Kayla's father, mother and little brother, she said. But none of them saw her shoot her team's only 3-pointer and finish with the Sentinels' second-highest number of points against the Campers.

"If I can look up in the stands and see them," said the junior reserve point guard, "it makes more more comfortable."