``We did have a discussion about options for the swim program at last week’s board meeting, but swim is in the budget for next year and we are not looking to eliminate it,’’ said Cring, the school’s athletic director.

Cooperstown offers both a girls swim team in the fall and a boys swim team in the winter. The bowling team, which would include junior varsity and varsity boys and girls teams, would also be a winter sport.

``It’s not a matter of adding bowling and eliminating swim,’’ Cring emphasized.

In a story in last week’s Crier, it was reported that members of the school board discussed eliminating the program as practices sometimes conflict with Clark Sports Center programming as well as issues with the pool’s size and depth.

The team practices and hosts meets at the gym.

But Sports Center Director Brad Feik said the practices were not an issue for the gym.

``Scheduling practices can be a challenge, but we make it work just like we do with all of our programming,’’ Feik said. ``We want to continue that relationship.’’

``We have a long standing and great relationship with the Clark Sports Center,’’ Cring said. ``Other varsity teams like tennis and softball practice at their facility as well, and it’s a unique situation for us to be able to utilize their facilities.’’

Cooperstown Superintendent Mary Jo McPhail said the school supports the swim program at Cooperstown.

``Roughly 10 percent of our student body participates in the program, so why wouldn’t we be supportive?’’ she said.

Cring said the addition of girls and boys junior varsity and varsity bowling programs would add an additional 20-24 students to the athletic program who normally wouldn’t get a chance to participate in sports.

``Bowling is a sport I’ve been looking to add for a number of years, but not at the expense of another sport,’’ he said.