Friday was senior night for the Wheeler High School baseball team.

In all, six seniors were scheduled to be recognized for their contribution to the Wildcats' program over the last four years. But much of the attention was sure to be on the seventh member in the dugout who might be wearing his Wheeler uniform for the last time: head coach Dave McDonald.

McDonald is a baseball lifer. For more than 30 years, he has seen players come to him as children and leave his program as young men with bright futures. During that time, he has won 483 games, taken six teams to the state playoffs, won four region titles, was the AAU Junior Olympics coach in 1990, was selected as the American Baseball Coaches Association National Coach of the Year in 2004 and has been inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame and the National High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

But as impressive a resume as McDonald has, it won't keep him from losing his job at the end of the school year thanks to the large budget cuts that were approved by the Cobb County School Board last week.

"It's not the way I expected to end my career at Wheeler," McDonald said. "(If) it is my last game here, I've enjoyed every out of every inning and every player I've had the opportunity to coach."

McDonald is a 49-percent employee - someone who has retired, but was rehired by the Cobb County School District as a part-time teacher.

But with the district facing a $137.7 million deficit in its fiscal year 2011 budget, McDonald along with 469 other part-time employees likely will not receive a contract for the 2010-11 school year.

Overall, the district will slash more than 1,000 teachers - both full- and part-time combined - and it could leave McDonald and some other well-respected coaches on the sidelines going forward. Others include Kell head baseball coach Donnie English, Lassiter assistant track coach Ed Hutcherson, Harrison golf coach Billy Peek, South Cobb's Cliff Collins and current Cobb County athletic director Steve Jones.

"I don't think people understand what these cuts are really going to cost," said McEachern athletic director Jimmy Dorsey, the former Indians football coach and another 49-percent employee. "This could be a major quality of life issue.

"Many people don't realize that, when the bell rings at 3:30 p.m., a whole new operation cranks up that serves our student body from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m."

English is another baseball lifer, coaching the sport in Cobb County for the majority of his 37-year career. In that time he won more than 600 games, was named the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year seven times, was one of only seven coaches ever to win the GACA Circle of Achievement Award and has had Osborne High School's baseball and softball complex named after him.

For now, English considers the current situation to be more of a holding pattern. He's not 100 percent convinced he will not be back at Kell for a 38th year of coaching, but that doesn't mean English hasn't thought about it.

"I have mixed emotions," he said. "I know it may be my last game. If it is, I've been lucky enough to do what I've done for 37 years.

"I'm disappointed (it may end this way), but I'm not bitter. Sure, I'd like to continue, but I'm thankful they didn't (lay us off) before now."

A common concern between McDonald, Dorsey and English is what is going to happen to the students - both in and out of the school - because, as McDonald said, the teaching doesn't end when the student leaves the classroom.

"Baseball is an extension of the classroom," he said. "There's a lot to learn in the classroom, and there's a lot to learn on the field, which will help in the classroom. Players learn about adversity and how to overcome it. They learn how to win and how to lose. They learn what it means to persevere and it makes them a better person."

With the new budgetary and personnel restrictions, the three longtime coaches are concerned some of the students that may have benefitted from more personalized attention will fall through the cracks.

"The kids are going to miss what these teachers and coaches have to offer," Dorsey said. "They are going to miss their experience and their expertise."

However, while school superintendent Fred Sanderson said it was too early to speculate, there is still a small chance that some of these teachers and coaches could end up back in their classrooms or on their sidelines next year. Spokesman Doug Goodwin said some part-time workers may be able to be rehired once the district has the final employee numbers after attrition and retirements. Jones proposed another way the long time coaches may be able to stay on their respective benches.

Goodwin confirmed Jones' proposal and the district is exploring the legality of hiring part-time coaches to coach but not teach. The coach would be a district employee, Goodwin said, and they would only be able to receive the coaching supplement.

English said he would consider doing that if it becomes an option, but living in Atlanta proper, he would likely not be able to continue if it would cost him more in traveling than the supplement would cover. He also pointed out another possible issue if they wait until late June or July to try and bring coaches back.

"They can't wait too long to go and hire coaches," he said. "We're going to have to make some difficult decisions. And can we wait that long? If not, now they are going to have to go out and hire somebody else."

Dorsey has been at McEachern since 1984, first serving first as football coach, then in the dual role of coach and athletic director, and now strictly as the athletic director for the last two years. While he has a slightly different take on the situation as an AD, the end game is the same. McEachern is currently in the middle of a large athletic complex construction project. Dorsey said he started it and wants to be there to finish it.

"That would be the only way I could come back," he said of the coaching provision. "I think what you would find is myself and with anyone in that situation, it might fall back on the booster clubs to compensate them financially."

But for McDonald, that likely wouldn't be enough.

"I love being in the classroom (teaching social studies) at Wheeler," he said. "I love being in the hallways. That's what I do. It's just a different form of baseball and I don't know if I could just show up and coach kids I don't know that well."

Dorsey understands exactly where McDonald is coming from.

"Many people got into the teaching profession to allow them to coach," he said. "And our coaches tend to be some of the best teachers on campus."

On Friday, Wheeler celebrated senior night with a 5-2 victory over Alpharetta at Dave McDonald Field. And while McDonald wanted to make it all about the players, the Wildcat faithful wouldn't let him as he got a big ovation when he was recognized before the game.

If it was in fact his last game at Wheeler, McDonald said he was going to take an extra moment at the end, before he walked off the field for the last time for some reflection. But he vows to be back in some fashion sooner than later.

"I'll continue to work," he said. "Baseball has been very good to me. I've developed friendships with coaches, I've been pretty active nationally and baseball has given me an opportunity to travel the world.

"What I'm going to miss is not being involved with my summer teams this year. Once you see the new freshmen, you always see that glimmer that maybe next year will be the year.

"As long as my health is good, I'm going to continue to pursue (baseball) in some manner."

McDonald, like the other coaches in his position, just wishes it was at Wheeler, where he was always safe at home.

"Many years of teaching experience will be walking out those doors," McDonald said. "I just wish there were some wiser heads in our leadership, but I guess that's why they make the big bucks."