CCAC Board Scores With Bontley As New Director
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Ethan Bontly planned to stay in England, finish work on his London Metropolitan University dissertation and, hopefully, land a job in that country's football industry. English "football" translates to soccer in the states.
Last fall Bontly applied for and secured the City/County Athletic Complex director's position and moved back to the U.S. in November.
"As late as September, we never planned to make a move to the states," Bontly said last week. The "we" includes his fiance and former Turkish National Fencing Team member, Seyran Turkmen.
The couple met at the university while Bontly pursued a master's degree in sports management and administration. Turkmen has a teaching license and is waiting for a permit to work. She also has competed in (Division 1-equivalent) track and field meets in the long jump and high jump events.
"We published the job on the NCAA's Web site," said Paul Scheuer, CCAC board president, "and received about 35 resums. We took a look at the candidates and Ethan kept rising to the top.
"For his young age (26), he had done a lot. We had to meet this kid, who did all of these things. We brought him into Warsaw, he immediately came up with ideas, fresh ideas. Ethan is such a go-getter, he's so proactive. He's called me three times today, telling me of something else he's completed."
Football in England translates to soccer in the U.S. The CCAC has six soccer fields and eight softball diamonds.
"He knows soccer and he knows softball," Scheuer said. "He's self-directed and I've never had to prod him into action. He's already scheduled five new tournaments this summer, which is just amazing.
"We're seeing more and more soccer players and can host regional, state and national events. We'll have state and national softball events. To succeed we had to take the facility to the next level."
Bontly has been at the next level, serving internships with Chicago Fire Soccer Club, a part of major league soccer MOS, and the Dubuque, Iowa, Hockey Club, a part of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League.
He plays these sports too, and was an athlete during his undergraduate years at Loras College in Iowa.
The 60-plus acre CCAC expects a huge influx of people, more than 55,000 individuals - players and spectators - to pass through the gates from the end of March to October.
"I want to make an impact with the CCAC," Bontly said. "I'd like something new added every year. I'm putting together flag football leagues, one for high school and one for adults, and a triathlon. I'd like to compete, too."
He plans to make time for competition by cross-training employees and adding a host of internships to the staff.
Bontly will oversee two kinds of internships - one for college students who need credit at a sports facility and one for people who aren't sure what they want to do and need to work in a structured setting.
He has an opening for a marketing intern now.
Hourly employees will rotate through marketing, operations, Web design, administration and food service positions. If one person can't work or needs help another can step in to assist.
Bontly would like to have a new maintenance shed, one large enough to get all the equipment out of the weather.
Mostly, though he wants the 10-year-old CCAC to reach its potential, to increase the leagues and eventually to offer activities all year.
"We've been passive about growing," Scheuer said. "I know from traveling to other fields with my soccer-playing kids that we have one of the finest facilities in the state.
"One of the board's several goals is to keep the gates open year round. The community needs to be kept active. People see the CCAC as a soccer/softball facility. We want to add flag football and rugby."
During tournament weekends the Warsaw hotel rooms are sold out. Participants and spectators are directed to North Webster and Syracuse for lodging, Scheuer said.
"We're working diligently to make the community more aware of us. There are soccer and softball events every day of the week and especially on the weekends. As a board, we strove to find the finest director available. We feel we have that in Ethan."
In addition to Scheuer and Bontly, CCAC board members include: Mary Anne Brumfield, vice president, adult co-ed league; Michelle Bormet, secretary; Darrin Miller, treasurer; Diane Wulliman, concessions manager; Michael Harstine, Dave Kintzel, Jeff Plank, Bobi Brumfield, women's industrial league; Tim Goshert, girls' softball league; Angel Hall, soccer representative; Robert W. Lichtenwalter; ;Kerry Rose, KCSL Soccer; Dave Sweeny, men's church league; Sibyl Nelson, women's church league; and Jeff Noffsinger.
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Ethan Bontly planned to stay in England, finish work on his London Metropolitan University dissertation and, hopefully, land a job in that country's football industry. English "football" translates to soccer in the states.
Last fall Bontly applied for and secured the City/County Athletic Complex director's position and moved back to the U.S. in November.
"As late as September, we never planned to make a move to the states," Bontly said last week. The "we" includes his fiance and former Turkish National Fencing Team member, Seyran Turkmen.
The couple met at the university while Bontly pursued a master's degree in sports management and administration. Turkmen has a teaching license and is waiting for a permit to work. She also has competed in (Division 1-equivalent) track and field meets in the long jump and high jump events.
"We published the job on the NCAA's Web site," said Paul Scheuer, CCAC board president, "and received about 35 resums. We took a look at the candidates and Ethan kept rising to the top.
"For his young age (26), he had done a lot. We had to meet this kid, who did all of these things. We brought him into Warsaw, he immediately came up with ideas, fresh ideas. Ethan is such a go-getter, he's so proactive. He's called me three times today, telling me of something else he's completed."
Football in England translates to soccer in the U.S. The CCAC has six soccer fields and eight softball diamonds.
"He knows soccer and he knows softball," Scheuer said. "He's self-directed and I've never had to prod him into action. He's already scheduled five new tournaments this summer, which is just amazing.
"We're seeing more and more soccer players and can host regional, state and national events. We'll have state and national softball events. To succeed we had to take the facility to the next level."
Bontly has been at the next level, serving internships with Chicago Fire Soccer Club, a part of major league soccer MOS, and the Dubuque, Iowa, Hockey Club, a part of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League.
He plays these sports too, and was an athlete during his undergraduate years at Loras College in Iowa.
The 60-plus acre CCAC expects a huge influx of people, more than 55,000 individuals - players and spectators - to pass through the gates from the end of March to October.
"I want to make an impact with the CCAC," Bontly said. "I'd like something new added every year. I'm putting together flag football leagues, one for high school and one for adults, and a triathlon. I'd like to compete, too."
He plans to make time for competition by cross-training employees and adding a host of internships to the staff.
Bontly will oversee two kinds of internships - one for college students who need credit at a sports facility and one for people who aren't sure what they want to do and need to work in a structured setting.
He has an opening for a marketing intern now.
Hourly employees will rotate through marketing, operations, Web design, administration and food service positions. If one person can't work or needs help another can step in to assist.
Bontly would like to have a new maintenance shed, one large enough to get all the equipment out of the weather.
Mostly, though he wants the 10-year-old CCAC to reach its potential, to increase the leagues and eventually to offer activities all year.
"We've been passive about growing," Scheuer said. "I know from traveling to other fields with my soccer-playing kids that we have one of the finest facilities in the state.
"One of the board's several goals is to keep the gates open year round. The community needs to be kept active. People see the CCAC as a soccer/softball facility. We want to add flag football and rugby."
During tournament weekends the Warsaw hotel rooms are sold out. Participants and spectators are directed to North Webster and Syracuse for lodging, Scheuer said.
"We're working diligently to make the community more aware of us. There are soccer and softball events every day of the week and especially on the weekends. As a board, we strove to find the finest director available. We feel we have that in Ethan."
In addition to Scheuer and Bontly, CCAC board members include: Mary Anne Brumfield, vice president, adult co-ed league; Michelle Bormet, secretary; Darrin Miller, treasurer; Diane Wulliman, concessions manager; Michael Harstine, Dave Kintzel, Jeff Plank, Bobi Brumfield, women's industrial league; Tim Goshert, girls' softball league; Angel Hall, soccer representative; Robert W. Lichtenwalter; ;Kerry Rose, KCSL Soccer; Dave Sweeny, men's church league; Sibyl Nelson, women's church league; and Jeff Noffsinger.
On the Net:
www.ccacwarsaw.com [[In-content Ad]]