The club soccer team at Tippecanoe Valley High School will have fields to practice and play on by 2016.
Monday night, the school board approved a $57,100 bid from Hostetler Lawn & Landscaping Inc., Middlebury, to build the practice and main fields. The two athletic fields will be located south of the middle school parking lot and near the football field and wind turbine.
Todd Glenn, Tippecanoe Valley maintenance director, said a year ago the board had a student make a presentation to it about creating a soccer program at Valley. The board agreed, and the process was started. Mark Gordon was hired as the club sport’s coach.
The first year of the program is over, Gordon said, and it was very successful. With the first year completed, Glenn said Valley had to talk about where the soccer team could play. After much consideration and investigation, Glenn said they decided on about eight acres on the middle and high schools’ campus.
After some time was taken to develop the specifications, Glenn said vendors were invited to bid on the process. Four vendors offered up bids, but Hostetler was selected.
Initially, the complex will include a 215-foot by 345-foot main field; a 165-foot by 300-foot practice field; spectator bleaches with asphalt walk path; and parking.
As for a timeline, Glenn said trees and brush will be removed as soon as possible. Construction will take place in March or April, and should be completed within one month. Fields will be ready for competition use in 2016.
Ron Hostetler, owner of Hostetler Lawn & Landscaping, said his business was small, but they’ve been building sports fields for over 40 years.
“We take pride in building fields because it’s going to be our names on it,” he said.
The website for the company is at www.buildingyourfieldofdreams.com
Glenn said the goal was to make the field look like “God intended it” and “very natural.”
Gordon talked to the board about wanting to get a junior high soccer program going this year so the high school’s soccer team has a feeder program. He also said it might take a few years longer to have a girls team because not too many girls are coming out for soccer yet.
The soccer fields project bid was unanimously approved by the board.
As Monday was the first meeting of the year for the board, it had to reorganize for the year and members elected in November had to take the oath of office.
Taking the oath were Bryan Murphy, Stan Miller and Todd Hoffman.
Murphy was re-elected president, with Dave O’Brien as vice president and Tom Craft secretary. Corporation Treasurer Jessica McFarland was reappointed as treasurer for the school district.
Instead of meeting at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday of every month, the board voted to meet at 6 p.m. on the second Monday. In the summer, the meetings will be held at the administration building. During the school year, meetings will be in the board meeting room at Mentone Elementary, except for February, March and April, when it meets at the other Valley schools.
Soccer isn’t the only way the school corporation is keeping its students fit.
Assistant Superintendent Blaine Conley reported the K21 Health Foundation provided the school corporation with a grant of more than $14,000. That and $25,000 from Valley’s own funds will be used to purchase cardio exercise equipment for the weight room at the high school.
Once the equipment is received, the weight room will be open to the public two nights a week for public use. The funding also will provide a stipend for supervisors for the gym.
More information on dates, times, rules and other information will be posted on the school corporation’s website.
The new pieces of equipment will include four treadmills, three elliptical machines, two recumbent bikes and one upright bicycle.
In other business, the board:
• Recognized McFarland for completing the requirement courses for the Indiana Association of School Business Officials Voluntary Certification Program. By completing 92 hours of instruction, she has achieved certification designation as a chief business officer.
• Recognized TVSC Deputy Treasurer Jennifer Barden for completing the required courses for the Indiana ASBO Voluntary Certification Program. By completing 58 hours of instruction, she has achieved certification as a business office specialist.
• Heard its annual report on the Burket Educational Center. The alternative learning school is in its 12th year, having started in fall 2003.
• Approved an annual resolution to transfer appropriations in the general fund.
• Announced upcoming meetings will be Feb. 9, TVMS; March 9, TVHS; and April 20 at Akron Elementary. All meetings start at 6 p.m.
After the regular meeting, the board held a board of finance meeting as required by state law.
Murphy was elected president, with Craft elected secretary of the board of finance.
The board approved the register of investments and reviewed the register of old outstanding checks.
(Story By The Times Union)
