Kayhi Soccer Faces Challenges Amid Conference Changes

Budget cuts and school consolidation leave Ketchikan High's girls soccer team without regular opponents

Apr. 15, 2026 at 1:51am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented scene of a high school girls' soccer game, with overlapping planes of muted blue, green, and gray tones.Budget cuts and school consolidation force Ketchikan High's girls soccer team to get creative in finding opponents and filling their schedule.Ketchikan Today

Ketchikan High School's girls soccer team is facing a unique challenge this season - finding opponents to play. After the Juneau School District consolidated schools in 2024 to address a budget deficit, Kayhi was left as the only team in its conference. This has forced the team to get creative, hosting opponents from across the state and relying on reciprocal deals to fill their schedule. With a smaller roster and the state championship coinciding with graduation, the Lady Kings are in for a tough but determined season.

Why it matters

The changes to Kayhi's soccer conference highlight the broader challenges facing high school sports programs in Alaska, where budget cuts and school consolidation are forcing teams to get creative to keep their seasons alive. This story shines a light on the logistical and financial hurdles teams must overcome to provide athletic opportunities for students.

The details

Due to the Juneau School District's 2024 decision to consolidate schools and address a $10 million budget deficit, Kayhi's girls soccer team is now the only team left in its conference. This has forced the team to find opponents from across the state to play, requiring them to pay to fly teams to Ketchikan rather than traveling for free matchups as they did before. Kayhi's athletic director, Kelly Smith, has worked to turn this isolation into an advantage, loading the schedule with home games to keep players in their own beds and reduce travel costs. However, the handshake deals required to fill the schedule are not sustainable long-term.

  • In 2024, the Juneau School District voted to consolidate schools to address a nearly $10 million budget deficit.
  • This year, the Kayhi girls soccer team is facing its first season without regular conference opponents.

The players

Kelly Smith

Kayhi's athletic director who has worked to find creative solutions to the team's scheduling challenges.

Winter Loretan

A junior on the Kayhi girls soccer team who is grateful the team has games to play at all, despite the obstacles.

Neil Kinunen

The head coach of the Kayhi girls soccer team, who is concerned about the health of his smaller-than-usual roster this season.

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What they’re saying

“It killed our soccer conference.”

— Kelly Smith, Kayhi Athletic Director

“Literally nobody has to play us. We could not have a single game until State, which is the unfortunate thing.”

— Winter Loretan, Kayhi Soccer Player

“As far as classes, a collection of players in one class over the years, this could be definitely near the top.”

— Neil Kinunen, Kayhi Soccer Head Coach

What’s next

Kayhi's athletic director, Kelly Smith, is pushing to get the team back into a conference so they have guaranteed opponents in the future. This would provide more stability and predictability for the program.

The takeaway

The challenges facing Kayhi's girls soccer team highlight the broader issues impacting high school sports across Alaska, where budget cuts and school consolidation are forcing teams to get creative just to keep their seasons alive. This story underscores the importance of finding sustainable solutions to support student-athletes and preserve athletic opportunities, even in the face of difficult financial realities.