Board looks to remedy athletic field problems
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
But by Aug. 1, the remedy for the problems should be in place, according to Superintendent Dr. Robert Haworth.
Warsaw School Board Vice President Dan Robinson asked Haworth at Monday's school board meeting what was being done with the athletic fields. The first turnover date of the facilities and athletic fields was to occur in spring 2006, Haworth said in a telephone interview this morning.[[In-content Ad]]He said there are athletic field issues with the softball field, the junior varsity and varsity soccer fields and the practice football fields. The practice football fields have been used. Also, there are issues with drainage of the high school football field, including a drainage issue behind the visitors bleachers at the varsity football field.
Trees, shrubs and smaller plants also are in the process of being replaced.
After several meetings with contractors and subcontractors involved in the project, Haworth said the deadline for the remedy is Aug. 1. At this point, Haworth said, if weather patterns hold true, he said he believes they will reach that date.
According to the 2007-08 Athletic Strategic Plan approved by the school board Monday, all varsity sports, with the exception of cross country and golf, will be held on the high school campus by fall 2008. Haworth said he was hopeful that if the Aug. 1 deadline is met, softball should begin using their field in the spring, and soccer should begin their season on campus in fall 2008.
"Regretfully, it's taken this long, but we do believe it will be done by Aug. 1," Haworth said.
"We're prepared to take whatever steps are necessary if those parties do not meet the Aug. 1 deadline," he later added.
Warsaw Schools is not paying for the fixes to the fields. The cost is being paid by the architects, contractors and subcontractors of the work.
However, as a result of dealing with an athletic development firm, Warsaw Schools is adding sand amendments to soccer fields. Haworth said they didn't have to add it, but thought it would make the conditions on the soccer field better.
The Athletic Strategic Plan approved Monday includes a vision, mission statement and ideas for all of Warsaw athletics.
The vision is "the pursuit of excellence on and off the field of competition."
The mission statement is "to create an environment that encourages the pursuit of excellence for all through participation in sports. In creating that environment, the athletic community will provide an arena for students to learn the lifelong skills of teamwork, dedication, self-discipline and to demonstrate above all, sportsmanship in representing the school and the greater Warsaw community."
Goals for the 2007-08 school year include that the athletic director will begin vertical planning for all Warsaw coaches in grades K-12. A student-athlete handbook, parent handbook and a coach's handbook will be produced by the athletic department. By January, the athletic department also will update and keep current the athletic Web site. It also will develop ways to promote athletics in other media forms.
The plan also incorporates the concept of two new positions. However, this morning, Haworth said the school board is not bound to the positions. They will be investigated to see the effectiveness of having those positions. If the positions are beneficial to students and financially feasible for the school corporation, the positions may be added. Haworth said the priority is academics.
The two new possible positions could include a sports information director and a strength and conditioning coordinator.
At the November meeting, the school board will hear a proposal from Haworth for employing a sports information director. Prior to January, the athletic department will submit a proposal for creating a strength and conditioning coordinator to support all athletes and athletic teams. The proposal will include all costs incurred by the school corporation.
Other ideas incorporated into the plan include having camps open to all at a cost all can afford beginning in summer 2008; an annual Athletic Leadership Academy for middle school athletes by August 2008; by January a recommendation to the high school principal regarding moratorium time for student athletes will be made; all facilities will pass an annual safety inspection beginning this fall; all high school coaches will be evaluated by the athletic department beginning this fall; all high school athletic programs will be required to submit their daily practice plans to the athletic department prior to their evaluation beginning this fall; all middle school and grade school coaches will be evaluated by their building principals/athletic directors beginning in the fall; and the athletic department will incur the cost of dues for all varsity coaches to belong to their specific Indiana professional organization and the cost of attending a coaching education clinic.
The strategic plan stemmed from a meeting of 50 community members.
But by Aug. 1, the remedy for the problems should be in place, according to Superintendent Dr. Robert Haworth.
Warsaw School Board Vice President Dan Robinson asked Haworth at Monday's school board meeting what was being done with the athletic fields. The first turnover date of the facilities and athletic fields was to occur in spring 2006, Haworth said in a telephone interview this morning.[[In-content Ad]]He said there are athletic field issues with the softball field, the junior varsity and varsity soccer fields and the practice football fields. The practice football fields have been used. Also, there are issues with drainage of the high school football field, including a drainage issue behind the visitors bleachers at the varsity football field.
Trees, shrubs and smaller plants also are in the process of being replaced.
After several meetings with contractors and subcontractors involved in the project, Haworth said the deadline for the remedy is Aug. 1. At this point, Haworth said, if weather patterns hold true, he said he believes they will reach that date.
According to the 2007-08 Athletic Strategic Plan approved by the school board Monday, all varsity sports, with the exception of cross country and golf, will be held on the high school campus by fall 2008. Haworth said he was hopeful that if the Aug. 1 deadline is met, softball should begin using their field in the spring, and soccer should begin their season on campus in fall 2008.
"Regretfully, it's taken this long, but we do believe it will be done by Aug. 1," Haworth said.
"We're prepared to take whatever steps are necessary if those parties do not meet the Aug. 1 deadline," he later added.
Warsaw Schools is not paying for the fixes to the fields. The cost is being paid by the architects, contractors and subcontractors of the work.
However, as a result of dealing with an athletic development firm, Warsaw Schools is adding sand amendments to soccer fields. Haworth said they didn't have to add it, but thought it would make the conditions on the soccer field better.
The Athletic Strategic Plan approved Monday includes a vision, mission statement and ideas for all of Warsaw athletics.
The vision is "the pursuit of excellence on and off the field of competition."
The mission statement is "to create an environment that encourages the pursuit of excellence for all through participation in sports. In creating that environment, the athletic community will provide an arena for students to learn the lifelong skills of teamwork, dedication, self-discipline and to demonstrate above all, sportsmanship in representing the school and the greater Warsaw community."
Goals for the 2007-08 school year include that the athletic director will begin vertical planning for all Warsaw coaches in grades K-12. A student-athlete handbook, parent handbook and a coach's handbook will be produced by the athletic department. By January, the athletic department also will update and keep current the athletic Web site. It also will develop ways to promote athletics in other media forms.
The plan also incorporates the concept of two new positions. However, this morning, Haworth said the school board is not bound to the positions. They will be investigated to see the effectiveness of having those positions. If the positions are beneficial to students and financially feasible for the school corporation, the positions may be added. Haworth said the priority is academics.
The two new possible positions could include a sports information director and a strength and conditioning coordinator.
At the November meeting, the school board will hear a proposal from Haworth for employing a sports information director. Prior to January, the athletic department will submit a proposal for creating a strength and conditioning coordinator to support all athletes and athletic teams. The proposal will include all costs incurred by the school corporation.
Other ideas incorporated into the plan include having camps open to all at a cost all can afford beginning in summer 2008; an annual Athletic Leadership Academy for middle school athletes by August 2008; by January a recommendation to the high school principal regarding moratorium time for student athletes will be made; all facilities will pass an annual safety inspection beginning this fall; all high school coaches will be evaluated by the athletic department beginning this fall; all high school athletic programs will be required to submit their daily practice plans to the athletic department prior to their evaluation beginning this fall; all middle school and grade school coaches will be evaluated by their building principals/athletic directors beginning in the fall; and the athletic department will incur the cost of dues for all varsity coaches to belong to their specific Indiana professional organization and the cost of attending a coaching education clinic.
The strategic plan stemmed from a meeting of 50 community members.
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