See how Horry, Georgetown school districts open their wallet for athletic programs

What does your school spend on athletics? Earlier this year The Sun News requested the salaries relating to athletics and athletic expenditures for Horry and Georgetown counties.

Here are a few things that caught our eye:

▪  Top earners: Tenured athletic directors Harold Hinson (Aynor), Joe Quigley (North Myrtle Beach), Paula Lee (St. James) and Tim Renfrow (Socastee) each will make $93,125 this school year. Only one other area athletic director has a yearly salary above $80,000 — Loris’ Barry Brooks.

Two coaches in the Georgetown County School District make more than $70,000 — Georgetown girls soccer head man Shawn Studley ($85,312) and Carvers Bay girls track and field coach Donna Owens ($76,461). Both salaries are most representative of their roles within the school system, serving as a Naval Junior ROTC instructor and media specialist, respectively.

A full look at area coaches and athletic directors making over $50,000 can be found below.

▪  Athletic expenditures: According to information offered by Horry County Schools, Myrtle Beach High School spends $583,010 per school year on its athletic programs.

The total is nearly $49,000 more than the second school on the list, St. James ($534,284). Of that, the school district provides the Seahawks’ athletic programs $330,250, with the school budgeting approximately $252,760 toward the total.

HCS’ definition of district support includes coaching supplements along with game day necessities such as travel, officials and security. School-based contributions are funded by gate sales and certain booster club donations.

Here is what all schools in the district are expected to spend on athletics in a given school year, in order from most to least (district support in parentheses): Myrtle Beach $583,010 ($330,250); St. James $534,284 ($304,917); Conway $530,303 ($320,477); Carolina Forest $520,248 ($298,483); North Myrtle Beach $516,780 ($292,926); Socastee $509,186 ($314,561); Aynor $423,821 ($248,265); Loris $394,480 ($247,764); and Green Sea Floyds $277,564 ($192,539).

Each of the top six schools on the list participate in all sports offered by the S.C. High School League (SCHSL).

Not included in these numbers are expenditures made by school booster clubs in support of certain athletic programs.

▪  Investing in a leader: Ten associated with St. James athletics earn more than $50,000 per year and seven have a salary in upwards of $60,000. They are football coach Joey Price, athletic trainer Bill Krauss, girls cross country and track coach Kenneth McSorley, tennis coach Lee Cannon, volleyball coach Jennifer Gravely, girls basketball coach Paul Hudacko and baseball skipper Robbie Centracchio.

Loris and Socastee are next with nine coaches currently receiving $50,000 or more.

▪  Ready ... set ... hut!: Jody Jenerette doesn’t think of himself as an old man.

But now after 13 years as head man at Aynor, he is the longest tenured football coach in Horry County. His pay reflects that, as his $72,893 salary is tops among all area football coaches.

Next on the list is Socastee’s Doug Illing, who rakes in $72,599 and Green Sea Floyds’ Donnie Kiefer at $71,176.

Among Horry County coaches, no one has enjoyed more success than Myrtle Beach’s Mickey Wilson, twice leading the Seahawks to a state championship. However, he enjoys a modest salary compared to most of his peers, making $61,961 a year.

▪  Athletic supplements: In Horry County, athletic supplements are paid based on one’s role, sport and respective coaching agreements.

Athletic directors are paid $9,538 incrementally over the course of a school term, while trainers earn $8,959 and assistant trainers receive $6,719.

Varsity football coaches are supplemented to the tune of $8,670, while basketball coaches receive $6,647.

Cheerleading coaches pocket the next most in terms of athletic supplements, garnering $5,348 for an activity that encompasses fall and winter sports seasons. Junior varsity cheer coaches bring in $3,902, while B-Team coaches earn $3,612.

Strength coaches are given $4,335, an amount divvied up over the course of both semesters and the summer.

The large share of varsity coaches bring in a flat rate of $3,324 — exceptions being swimming, tennis, track, volleyball and golf.

Their assistants? Unless in football, basketball or cheerleading, their supplement is $1,951 or less.

Each coach’s overall salary is reflective of everyday duties within the Horry County School District, in addition to supplements earned as coaches.

In Georgetown County, the highest in terms of supplements given to athletic coaches is $7,500, an amount commonly reserved for football coaches.

▪  Upgrades: Last November, Georgetown County voters approved a referendum issuing $165 million in bond money to cover construction projects for the school district.

The county’s four high schools — Andrews, Carvers Bay, Georgetown and Waccamaw — are in line for more than $52 million worth of upgrades.

Among the improvements will be new auxiliary gyms for each high school, along with projects to benefit their track and tennis facilities.

This story was originally published December 3, 2017 at 11:33 PM with the headline "See how Horry, Georgetown school districts open their wallet for athletic programs."