By Myrna Trauntvein
Times News Correspondent
Nephi needs an area to better serve youth soccer players
because the county field they play on is being chipped away
and is not of a proper size.
When the ambulance building was built this past year, the
field became even smaller.
Shawn Foster told Nephi Council members that he and his
wife, Pam, would like to see something worked out so that
the sport could be played properly.
"My wife and I feel strongly about the sport of soccer,"
said Foster.
Soccer is a sport that has been growing in popularity in
the United States and is now the third most popular sport in
the country.
In addition to the playing field size, said Foster, the
nets are too small.
"Soccer is a total workout," said Foster. "It is a fun,
fast and intelligent sport to be involved in."
He said no one would ask baseball and basketball to play
on less than adequate fields but that was what was being
done with soccer.
"One of the biggest challenges we have is to provide
enough fields for all sports," said Mark Jones, mayor. "We
are insufficient in our facilities and we know that."
In order to have those facilities, however, property was
needed. There are some possibilities of property
improvements in the future. Availability of property and
costs of the land, once found, are problems.
"Trying to use the property for dual purposes is
important," said Jones.
Soccer fields require a big chunk of property and then
they are used for two months.
Foster said a soccer field was just a bit larger than a
football field. On a trip he made to Colorado recently, he
said, the baseball and soccer fields were the same field,
used for both sports.
"It makes sense," he said.
The reason being, soccer is played in the fall of the
year after baseball has ended. Soccer is played in September
and runs through October. Such a solution would create a
playing area large enough for both sports and would have the
dual purpose the city is looking for.
One of his biggest concerns, said Foster, is the safety
of the youth playing the sport at the present facilities.
The Fosters were contacted by the police after a neighbor
reported concerns that players were running into the street
to get a loose ball.
That is also a concern of coaches and, with nets that are
inadequate, the balls do go into the street and players, in
their excitement do run after them in spite of cautions
given by coaches.
On track street, said Foster, a temporary fence is put in
place during baseball season. Such a fence would be of great
help.
"I think soccer is a great sport," said Jim Wilkey,
council member.
He said it was one that was, unlike football and
basketball, a sport that could be played by a wider variety
of heights and weights.
"How big a fence is needed?" he asked.
Providing a fence may be something that can be done to
help, temporarily.
The field being used for the sport is the property of the
county and the city does not control it. However, the pony
league baseball fields might be adapted to size.
Jones said that may be a possibility.
"There is no reason to teach kids to play the game
wrong," said Brent Bowles, council member.
Foster said youth from Kindergarten through 10th grade
are included in the program being run in the area. There are
three different leagues.
"Grades seven through ten are combined," he said.
Those are the young people who require a larger field,
one that is standard. When visiting teams come, they are
asked to play on a sub-standard field.
Brent Park, council member, said that the Fosters might
also contact the school board or the high school principal
and talk about adding the sport to the line-up of those
played in the district.
"Manti and Gunnison recently added the UHSAA (Utah High
School Athletic Association) sanctioned sports for those
schools," said Park.
If the sport were to be added, then there would be a
field to go with it. Perhaps a high school field would be
adapted to serve a dual purpose.
One thing the city could do, agreed council members, that
would be a quick but temporary fix, is provide a temporary
fence to keep kids from running into the street after
balls.
Council members said they would consider the best
long-term solution for the soccer league and the request of
the Fosters.
Foster said that if the baseball fields along track
street are improved, as he had heard rumored, he would like
the city to consider adding the soccer field to that
area.
|
