Fall Notebook: Driver shortage causing scheduling headaches around the state
Pinkerton Academy Athletic Director Brian O’Reilly answered a phone call on a Tuesday afternoon to discuss his school’s Mack Plaque week festivities against rival Londonderry. Before even getting started on that topic he needed some time to finalize another issue that arose for the following week.
“Hold on one second,” O’Reilly said. “I just need to change the times for next week’s games. I just got off the phone with the bus company and have to update all the schedules.”
There is a nationwide shortage of bus drivers, and Granite State athletic directors are seeing it firsthand.
Buses running later with after-school dropoffs because of drivers needing to do multiple routes is causing availability issues for extra curricular activities. Buses, if one can actually be scheduled, are running 30-60 minutes later than usual for sports teams. That’s leading to ADs needing to reschedule later start times for games – sometimes at fields with no lights.
“Yes, we have bussing issues,” Salem AD Scott Insinga said. “I am constantly changing dates and times.”
Milford AD Marc Maurais feels lucky compared to his peers.
“We’ve been lucky so far at Milford High School with busing,” Maurais said. “We’ve only had a few situations that we have had to move a time or re-schedule.”
Not so lucky is Newmarket AD Jodi Callinan. Her teams are feeling the pinch in more than just bussing.
“I have had to reschedule all of my away games due to bus driver shortages,” Callinan said. “There also appears to be a shortage of officials, and I have not found many girls junior varsity soccer teams in the area.”
It’s forcing some schools to go a different route entirely.
“Epping has had its fair share of bussing issues,” Epping AD Ben Bourgoin said. “We have had to move several games and we also have used a wide variety of bussing companies and other solutions, including parent transport to get our student-athletes to games.”
Using parents for transportation is something Londonderry AD Howard Sobolov was putting into motion last year. Not that it came to be with COVID-19 shortening seasons and forcing remote learning, however, when school started this fall, it was time to implement that plan.
“We don’t have buses except on weekends or late departures due to the driver shortage,” Sobolov said. “We have parents drive for most sports events. It started at the beginning of the school year.
“Leaving late and starting late in the fall is difficult due to the sunset being early. We also prepared for parent driving last year but it never came to pass so the parents were not caught off guard. I would play more Saturday games but fellow ADs are reluctant to give up their Saturdays in my experience.”
At Bishop Brady, AD Tony Johnson has a couple of small buses at his disposal and has recruited parents to volunteer their time driving players to games to help with transportation issues his programs are facing.
“I don’t have any drivers,” Johnson said. “I can’t find drivers. We have a bus, and there are no drivers with the First Transportation network. They don’t have enough to fill all their needs. The whole thing is just crazy. It’s just flipped itself on its ear.
“We’re seeing a back-and-forth. We’re moving times up, we’re moving times back. We had some soccer games we’ve had to move to 5 p.m. which is crazy with how dark it gets, but we just have to get it done.”
That’s when the Bishop Brady parents stepped up.
“I have two minivans, two minibuses that we use,” Johnson said. “That’s the prep school model. Any coach, any administrator, any faculty and staff member can drive these vans. Holderness probably has like 10 vans, we have two. So when those are full – for instance with soccer, I can bring 14 on the minibus and there’s 22 players, we need three parents. That’s how we’re doing it.”
It seems that’s how most schools are handling it these days.
“Parents will usually step up,” Johnson said. “It’s all about having the time. If they can be there for their kids and help the program, they always come through.”
Quick Hits
Clippers’ Ranalli denying opponents
Portsmouth girls soccer goalie Sofia Ranalli has five shutouts for the 9-1 Clippers, her latest a 2-0 win over Nashua North on Tuesday. She also has 2-0 wins over Pinkerton, Hanover and Concord, and a 1-0 victory over Londonderry.
Chooljian celebration back on
After multiple postponements, the long-awaited celebration of Timberlane Regional wrestling coach Barry Chooljian has a new date locked in.
The event to honor Chooljian, who retired after 34 years with a state record 613-52-5 and a record 10 New England titles, will take place on Sunday, Nov. 14, from 5-9 p.m. at the Atkinson Resort and Country Club.
Tickets are $50 and can be purchased until Nov. 8 through Venmo (@Sue-Kappler) or by sending a check payable to TRHS Wrestling Boosters to Sue Kappler, 35 Riverbend Dr., Sandown, N.H., 03873.
George Scione writes for NH-HighSchoolSports.com and has covered high school sports in New Hampshire since 1995. To report standout performances or offer ideas for the high school notebook send an email to scioneg@gmail.com.
