The school board has approved a service agreement with a new company to provide athletic training services this school year.
The agreement is with ATI Holdings LLC.
Columbus Regional Hospital had been covering the cost of an athletic trainer for school sports, but it notified the district in June that it was withdrawing its monetary support.
District leaders thought it would cost around $50,000 to pay an athletic trainer, but the ATI Holdings agreement for this school year will cost $40,000. “I still hate to pay it, but it is definitely reasonable,” Superintendent Laura Hammack said.
ATI Holdings will provide a trainer to work a flexible, 40-hour-per-week schedule, including being at evening and weekend sporting events.
Because this agreement is with is a contracted agency, the district does not have to provide benefits for the trainer. The district will be billed for services rendered.
Brown County High School Athletic Director Mark Bruner had worked to find a replacement. “We feel like we’ve got a solid group that we’re working with and Mark has been really pleased. I hate we have to add it to the budget this year, but I think it’s probably the best possible outcome we could imagine,” Hammack said.
