Here’s how CMS coaches, athletic directors finally received raises

At the last Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools athletics directors meeting of the 2016-17 school year, CMS system athletics head Sue Doran told the group there was “a very good chance” coaches and athletic directors would receive pay increases in 2017-18.

Coaches and athletics directors in CMS schools are now seeing an increase of 20 percent in their supplemental pay.

“Raises in the last several budget cycles have been part of the discussion,” Doran told the Observer this week. “But with the way the budget was, it wasn’t possible to do a coaching stipend raise. But in discussions with finance, it just made sense that a 20 percent raise versus anything less that would make sense because of the time frame” since the last raise.

It was the first time since the 2005-06 school year that coaches, who also teach, had seen an increase in their supplemental pay.

An athletics director can now earn a supplement between $6,217.20 and $8,377.20, depending on his or her advanced level of certification. Head football coaches saw increases from $4,172 to $5,006.40. Boys’ and girls’ head basketball coaches went from $2,877.60 to $3,453.10.

For the last increase in the 2004 season, for an example, a head football coach’s stipend was of $3,793.

The supplements are designed to reward coaches for their extra work during their sports season.

“I think anytime you get a jump, you're appreciative of it,” said Myers Park football coach Scott Chadwick. “I think certainly Sue really tries to support the coaches in that area. And it’s a nice bump, but at the same time, nothing will ever compensate coaches truly for the work they do. This is an 11- or 12-month job now.”

With the raises, CMS is more competitive with the two other large systems in North Carolina.

▪ In Greensboro, football coaches can earn a supplement between $3,800 and $5,700; basketball coaches from $2,300 to $4,000.

▪ In Raleigh, football coaches can earn supplements between $4,625 and $5,947; basketball coaches from $3,137 to $4,332.

In nearby Rock Hill, S.C., the head football coaches’ supplement is $7,415. The basketball supplement is $6,615. A football assistant makes more than a CMS head coach ($7,036 compared to $5,006). It’s the same for a Rock Hill assistant basketball coach versus his or her CMS head coaching counterpart ($4,729 to $3,453).

Some area coaches still question why CMS doesn't reward experience.

“For a year one coach to make the same thing as someone who’s been head coach for 18 years isn't right,” said North Forysth football coach Pete Gilchrist.

Gilchrist, a former head coach at Olympic and West Charlotte, has coached in Winston-Salem the past 10 years. He believes all school systems should offer compensation that takes into account a coaches’ experience, which is what Winston-Salem does.

“I don't care if it’s just 100 or 200 dollars,” Gilchrist said. “But if I’m a head coach for two years and I come to Charlotte, I shouldn't get paid the same as (a coach with 30 years experience). I think most everybody has a step process. I don't know why Charlotte doesn't.”

This story was originally published April 21, 2018 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Here’s how CMS coaches, athletic directors finally received raises."