Football/Soccer

[ndc soccer]

Have you been to this field personally? I grew up playing organized football and soccer there. The field never caused any issues. I actually liked playing there. Junior High football still practices there. When i played at Ironton all of our home games were there from 2nd grade to 8th. We only got 1 game at the tank a year and it was against burg. IDK how it goes now but like i said, personally I enjoyed that field.

I would venture out and say that they may want soccer to become more stable before moving it to the turf. That would require more equipment, and time on the turf already competing with Varsity Football, JV Football, Jr High Football?

MaxPreps has Ironton playing 10 of their 18 games at home last season. Also, IF it is the field next to the middle school/baseball fields, they have paved sidewalks from the parking lot to the baseball dugouts where the restrooms/concessions stands were stated to have been. Then they have small bridge? to cross over into the practice area/game area. The said creek would be pretty far away from the field/playing area, and if the surface was as bad as it's been said, the officials would deem it unplayable.

I looked the facility up on a google maps. It seems to have all the items needed to play there. Bleachers are not required. I've been to several fields, even ones in/outside of cleveland, where they had to benches or bleachers and the game was still played.

For a new program, I would rather have my own area then having to share with the giant football program that Ironton is.

Yes, I took an aerial view as well. You are correct there is paved sidewalk in the baseball/softball side. The problem is the dirt bridge and nothing on the other side for soccer fans/parents. The one thing I would caution you to not drink the kool aid with the football program. They aren’t a giant program and far from it. They have had success the past couple of years due to transfers from tri-state schools. It is said by others that many of the players were not even in the district as elementary or middle school years.

Just as a point of reference, what schools are you referring to in Cleveland??

I may believe we may have a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

I can assure you, I'm not a wolf in sheep's clothing—I grew up in Piketon.

I have no personal stake in this, but as a coach, I always study successful programs to understand what makes them thrive. A few years ago, I spoke with the head coaches from Kirtland and Chardon football programs. I just want to learn and grow.

As for players transferring in—who cares? Find me a school that hasn't benefited from transfers at some point. I've seen programs in the southern region rise, fall, and rise again.

There are multiple high school games played at Nike Park in Parma Heights near the Tri-C Campus, and they have zero bleachers. When I played at Unioto, and even when I coached against them, they had only one set of bleachers, with more parents sitting in chairs than in the stands.

What exactly do you expect for soccer fans and parents? That everyone has a giant stadium? Not every school is lucky enough to provide that. We worked very hard, and our boosters did as well, to provide what we did for out players.

[SoccerDad]

Soccer without stands is very normal. Any experienced soccer parent has a collection of camp chairs and pop-up canopies. Even when you visit mature HS soccer programs with dedicated game fields (Warren, Marietta, Unioto, Gallia) you'll find plenty of spectators brining their own chairs and leaving empty space in the stands. Emerging programs aren't going to have enough attendance to crowd the touchline.