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Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley donates $60,000 to cover school budget cuts

By Matt Brooks

In an offseason littered with DUIs, domestic violence and downright dumb decisions from a number of NFL players, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley chose to devote his resources to a better cause.


LaMarr Woodley is giving back. (Mel Evans - AP) This fall, a substantial cut in the Saginaw (Mi.) Public Schools athletic department budget would have forced students to pay an annual $75 participation fee to play sports.

That just didn’t sit right for Woodley, who helped lead Saginaw High to a state championship in 2000. So Woodley covered the budget cut himself — all $60,000 of it.

“People can make the argument that it wasn’t going to hurt participation, but it was,” Saginaw High athletic director Dan Szatkowski told MLive.com. “Because of this, kids will have an opportunity to participate, an opportunity to be part of a team. People don’t understand how important that is.”

The pay-to-participate policy actually began last year, but Hall of Fame basketball player and former Michigan State star Magic Johnson covered the fees as part of a Sodexo Magic contribution.

“It’s a tough time, but here’s a professional player who gets it,” Szatkowski said. “This is a big deal. He’s providing the means for kids to participate. What’s the price you can put on that? What price do you put on an experience? LaMarr Woodley is providing for that experience.”

[14Red]

What a wonderful gesture by Woodley. However, the bigger picture is what is the school doing for next year? Magic covered the fees last year, and apparently the school did nothing to alleviate the costs for this season. A pro athlete may not bail them out next year. Schools, got to live within your means.

[Lancer '65]

A very nice gesture from a guy who appreciates how important athletics is to the total educational experience. I think that most school districts do a pretty good job of using what's there, but when continual cuts in educational funding occur, guys like Woodley thankfully step up and do the right thing for the kids. Plus, costs of everything seem to be going up and have been for a number of years. Thank God for folks like LaMarr who care enough to do whatever is necessary for the kids to participate.

[KSbuckeye]

I wonder if the district has had to reduce their budget or if the citizens have been threatened with the ever popular "pass this mill levy or pay to play" tactic.

[rmolin73]

Schools living within their means? Most schools systems are living well below and they are still losing money.

[Domi]

Originally Posted by KSbuckeye

I wonder if the district has had to reduce their budget or if the citizens have been threatened with the ever popular "pass this mill levy or pay to play" tactic.

http://muskegonisd.org/dept/SchoolFu...gCrisisFAQ.pdf

While not the best link to explain school funding in Michigan, their method is just as screwed up as Ohio's method. I'm not sure local districts can go to voters every year for increased millage.

In any event, a tip of the hat to Woodley. It's nice to see some athletes still get it in today's world.