Daniel J. Mancuso
IVN staff
Overnight stays and food per diem have been cut from the budget for the Illinois Valley sports programs for the 2025/2026 season. “We have not cut funding for the program. The district built a new athletic building that our wrestling program will be using as well as our youth wrestling programs,” Casey Alderson. Deputy Superintendent, wrote to the I.V. News in an email July 25.
According to Alderson, a past principal of IVHS, the school has completed the new facility aptly named “Jay Miller Athletic Building,” after past coach and legend of the valley.
Alderson said that the district has made some changes to how the district is funding the programs. “Tournaments that our teams are traveling to that require overnight stays, the teams need to fundraise for the travel costs of hotel rooms and per diem,” wrote Alderson.
Alderson stated travel costs have risen so dramatically. “We can’t cover all of the costs required for some elective tournaments that our teams choose to attend. We are still covering all of the transportation costs for the buses for all tournaments,” added Alderson.
The district understands that Cougar wrestling is a “big deal” to the students, school, district and community. “We will continue to build that program to keep it as one of the premier teams in the state.”
However, parents and student athletes have espoused that the program needs new singlets and equipment and are working to raise funds.
Chelsea Conn, parent of two time state champion James Conn has been scheduling fund raisers like bagging at Grocery Outlet and ShopSmart. A car wash was held Aug. 3 and another one coming up Aug. 9, at the Lions Club parking lot from 11 – 3. Additionally the team will be working with the Lions helping out in the burger stand Labor Day weekend.
The I.V. News has been invited to tour the new facility and fsdafsda story will be forthcoming.