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School board likes idea of soccer team
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · September 29, 2016
Organizers wanting a soccer team at West Branch High School received a favorable response from the Board of Education Sept. 12.
Parents Ted Miller, Becky Hosier and Jose Gongora presented a overview including costs, player interest, possible opponents and a goal to start by spring 2017.
The school board agreed to make Superintendent Kevin Hatfield “available” to help the group get the team going, like getting feedback from other school district’s athletic directors.
“The school board is in favor,” Board President Mike Colbert said. “Things are looking good.”
Miller started the push for the team and told the school board other parents believe West Branch players “don’t really get a fair chance” to play if WBHS sends them to play on City High’s team.
“It would be nice to have our own little team,” he said.
Gongora’s son, Jace, posted an informal survey on Twitter and found 18 students willing to play. Hatfield said sign-up sheets found 28 to 29 at the middle school and 18 or 19 at the high school want to play. Miller said about 25 children regularly play on club teams, like Iowa City Kickers, and added that the team would need at least 16 players “at bare minimum” to take the field.
Hosier found a dozen area schools with teams, four of which — Regina, Mid-Prairie, West Liberty and Northeast Goose Lake — compete against West Branch in the River Valley Conference. Miller added that Scattergood Friends School also has a team.
Gongora said a full season includes eight to 10 regular-season games from late March to late May, with possible weekend tournaments.
Miller said the team is raising about $15,000 to get started in the first year, which drops to about $10,000 for the following year. Primary expenses include coach salaries, referees, goals and scorekeeping equipment.
Board member Jodi Yeggy noted transportation was not included. Colbert said the school district would pick up that cost.
“If you’re really self-funded and only need a ride on a bus,” Colbert said to the parents, “it would be hard (to say no). It’s the No. 1 sport in the world and we don’t have it here.”
Board member Mike Owen said that if the team gets established at WBHS, the school district would pay the coaches, too.
Colbert said that, after three years, the school district would pick up the same basic costs that it does for current sports.
Miller said he plans to start the team with a co-ed roster, yet “there’s a very good chance we may have two different teams.”
“We will work extremely hard to keep up the interest,” he said.
Hosier said she expects minimal impact on other spring sports, noting that Mid-Prairie High School only lost one or two track players when it started a soccer team.
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