OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen
Jareese Gaines, Dunkirk wide receiver, makes a tremendous catch during a contest against Springville.
Transportation issues are creating challenges with the Dunkirk City School District’s fall sports season.
Andrew Burnside, district athletics director, told the Dunkirk Board of Education Tuesday during his regular report that availability of First Student buses to transport students to road contests is less than ideal.
Burnside spoke highly of the First Student employees he deals with, stating that “it’s not a ‘them’ problem, it’s a situation of a culture problem.”
He said getting buses for athletes before class dismissal time — ideal for trips to games in eastern Cattaraugus County — is “incredibly rare.” That does lead to concerns about getting to places like Olean and Allegany on time, he said.
Burnside said he and two other district employees recently used city school district vans to drive junior varsity volleyball athletes to Olean, so they could make it in time for a 5 p.m. contest.
He pointed out that “anytime we ask a game to get moved back, it does cause a domino effect,” because it affects game officials’ schedules. That’s particularly an issue with soccer, Burnside said, “because most of our soccer officials are officiating a 4:30 p.m. game and a 7 p.m. game.”
In other news from Burnside’s report:
— He stated about the overall athletics program, “Buy-in is at an all-time high and we’re only headed in the right direction.” Overall, “very few athletes have quit,” he said.
Burnside’s only area of concern as far as numbers of participating athletes is cross country. However, he said, that is a regional and national problem as well. “Kids are not looking to run long-distance as much as they used to.”
— The “vibe has been great” at home football, soccer and volleyball games. There have been “minimal issues,” mostly with unsupervised fifth- and sixth-graders.
— Burnside highlighted work done with the varsity volleyball program. It has partnered with recent DHS graduate Khee Nance. She is an academic success coach and is working with the team, helping with mental preparation.
“Instead of worrying about wins, we’re worrying about competitive losses, where we are feeling good and finding the small little victories in a losing effort,” Burnside said. The squad came up with 21 ways to be a great teammate at a team summit, and it is posted on a poster in their locker room.