MANCHESTER — School athletics could be targeted for cuts in an effort to restore teaching jobs in the Manchester School District, with freshman, middle school and junior varsity programs likely to bear the brunt of reductions.

Without making a formal recommendation, School Superintendent Thomas Brennan has identified $188,812 in savings that could be realized through elimination of five of eight middle school sports and some high school JV and freshman programs.

Brennan's memo cites middle school boys' and girls' basketball and track, and coed volleyball as potential cuts. Also tabbed for elimination would be junior varsity programs in basketball, spirit, softball and baseball, as well as boys and girls freshman basketball.

The report to the Board of School Committee was obtained by the New Hampshire Union Leader after Brennan declined to release it.

“With the budget that we have, we continue to look at a variety of options,” Brennan said Friday. “I share information about that with the board.”

Brennan said he consulted with Athletic Director Dave Gosselin about program costs and prepared a list of possible reductions. The superintendent told the board that the cuts could save $158,852 but the total identified actually comes to $188,852.

Since there is no formal proposal to cut sports, no formal school board consideration has been scheduled.

Gosselin and Mayor Ted Gatsas each said they don't want to cut athletics.

“I don't think it has any merit,” said Gatsas. “Students should be well-rounded in school. Education is important, but athletics are very important, too.”

Gosselin echoed the mayor's remarks, saying “athletics is an extension of the classroom. Kids learn so much from athletics, including life lessons.”

Any cuts in sports programs would go first to the board's athletic committee and probably the finance committee before reaching the full board for a vote, according to Gatsas, who chairs the school board.

“I hope no one supports it,” said Gatsas.

David Wihby, chairman of the athletic committee, said the panel has no proposal to discuss.

“Nothing has been decided on what, if anything, will be cut,” Wihby said. “I don't know if I will be in favor of anything.”

But some school board members say if the issue does reach them, a debate framed as a trade-off between sports and reducing soaring class sizes presents a difficult choice.

“I don't know what I would recommend. We're looking at the possibility of 45 students in math classes at Memorial High School,” school board member Arthur Beaudry said. “We'll have to look hard at what we're going to do.”

Committee member Debra Gagnon Langton sees the committee facing a difficult decision.

“I don't want to see cuts in sports, but I don't want to see 40 students in a classroom,” she said.

The school board's athletics subcommittee addressed the issue back in May.

“I think we are (at) the point that we could justifiably indicate that perhaps we could look at our JV programs or our feeder programs in terms of the winter and the spring,” committee minutes quote Brennan as saying. “I've been looking for some reaction from the board, because I keep bringing it up and we don't take any action.”

Langdon, a frequent critic of Brennan, said the school superintendent should take a stand on the issue.

“He has to be the leader and make a recommendation to the board,” she said.

With the political clamor that surrounds proposals to cut school sports, some committee members are looking for different ways to pay for school sports to provide more money for teachers.

Some board members say the district has other options.

Beaudry has suggested moving football games from Friday night to Saturday to save energy costs.

Others say sports can produce more revenue.

“I'd rather look for alternatives such as ad sponsorships to free up athletic money,” said board member Roger Beauchamp.

Beauchamp called for revising policies that discourage advertising on school property, suggesting that the district could make substantial money by allowing banners on the West High field house, which could be seen from Interstate 293.

As athletic director, Gosselin worried about the impact of reductions in an already-thin program for students in grades 6-8.

“We don't have many middle school programs. We just have cross-country and field hockey in the fall, girls' and boys' basketball in the winter and spring track and co-ed volleyball in the spring,” Gosselin said. “That's it for middle schools.”

Three years ago, a recommendation to eliminate ice hockey, wrestling and skiing ran into opposition and the notions were killed.

“It didn't go anywhere,” said Gosselin. “The full school board voted it down. This time around I honestly don't know of anyone on the board who would favor cutting athletics. Speaking for myself, I don't support it.”