Lake County Sentinel
Large donation from Wickliffe Alum saves 2026 spring sports
BY JOEY SCHNEIDER
STAFF
(WICKLIFFE, OH) - The Wickliffe City School District, like most districts in the state, were wondering how to keep spring sports (baseball, softball, track, and tennis) alive after the state and county cut funding and a series of levies failed. The first answer and one that most students and parents didn’t want to hear was an increase in the pay to play structure. A normal season for middle school student athletes is $150 for the spring season, while high school athletes is $190. This year the price would have skyrocketed to between $1000 to $1600 per student. Instead, school Superintendent Mike Chokshi and Vice Principal Nick Gallo decided to try and reach out to businesses and alum for suggestions on how to keep spring sports in Wickliffe.
Superintendent Chokshi said “We knew we had to try and do something so Nick (Gallo) and I talked about what we could do and decided to start making calls.” One alum decided to step up and pay for the spring sports season for both middle school and high school, and that was 2004 graduate, Case Western alum, and successful businessman James Luthardt, who owns his own capital investment firm and has been featured in various magazines for his success.
“We talked to James. Nick knows him and explained the situation. James played basketball here and he credits his experience in sports to his success, and he didn’t want students to miss out on that. He understands the city of Wickliffe and wants the kids to experience what he did in high school and how it helped him on his journey.” continued Chokshi.
“I was able to talk to some of the parents and students before we received such a generous donation and the kids were upset, especially the seniors in high school. This is their last year. Now they will be able to continue their journeys as student athletes, and they couldn’t be more grateful.” “We are hoping to have James come here later in the spring and talk to the kids about his experience in Wickliffe, his student life, and the impact sports had on him personally and professionally. His struggles and successes and how to he overcame obstacles to become successful.” concluded Wickliffe’s Superintendent.
Everywhere in the state schools are feeling the burden of state funding being cut, with neighboring Willoughby-Eastlake school district having discussions about combing Eastlake North and Willoughby South high schools to save money. It’s rare to see the kind of generosity displayed by an individual like James Luthardt deciding to fund the spring sports season. It’s purely from a place of knowing the impact it had on his life and wanting to see the kids of Wickliffe have the same opportunities he did. He cares about the city, his former school system, and the students who attend Wickliffe.
Instead of the massive price tag that would have been without Mr. Luthardt’s generosity, the prices are back to what they would have been, and the students will be able to thrive in baseball, softball, track, and tennis this season. They will hopefully remember the how, and why they were able to play. The board and school’s hard work, looking for funding, and one man’s love for the city that helped him become the success he is today.
POSTED 03/05/2026 00:00
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