Nic Boosters Decide To Spread The Wealth

The North Idaho College booster club’s board of directors has voted to trim $9,500 from men’s basketball to divvy up among numerous lesser-funded programs.

The move has left men’s basketball coach Hugh Watson steamed, other coaches defending the action as just and some questioning the make-up of the board, a 15-member group, including eight NIC head coaches, which made the decision.

“If it stays like this, to compete is going to be tough,” said Watson, who could offer 12 full scholarships four years ago and is presently at eight, half the NJCAA limit. “If you’ve got a business going with 16 employees selling cars and then you put out eight, you’re going to get twice as much business with 16.”

Pat Whitcomb, wrestling coach and executive director of the booster board, said the decision was made to improve funding of women’s programs and boost sagging morale among the other coaches.

“We had 13 of 15 voters there and the vote was 11-2,” he said. “If it was 7-6 then I’d have been real concerned. That’s pretty substantial. We’re not here to hurt men’s basketball, but I’m real comfortable as executive director saying men’s basketball still gets four times the support of the other programs.”

Whitcomb said women’s basketball will receive an additional $1,000; track/cross country for men and women, $5,000; women’s soccer, $2,500; women’s softball, $2,000; and baseball, $2,000. Funding for wrestling and the training department will stay the same.

Men’s basketball is slated to receive $28,000, $9,500 less than last year. Women’s basketball will receive $19,000. No other program receives more than $7,000, Whitcomb said. The booster club typically provides $90,000, most going to help pay room and board for student-athletes. The club’s goal is $92,000-$93,000 this year, Whitcomb said.

The booster club typically provides $90,000, most going to help pay room and board for student-athletes. The club’s goal is $92,000-$93,000 this year, Whitcomb said.

The redistribution is more equitable, said track and cross country coach Lewis Watkins.

Added volleyball coach Carly Curtis, “I was under the impression the booster club was to support all the sports. We didn’t want to cut one sport, but you need to realize we have so much funds and to keep our people motivated that actually raise the funds, and to keep it equitable, it had to be done.”