TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

Youth Football, Soccer Agree To Share Fields

ADVERTISEMENT

By GARY PINNELL

Highlands Today

Published: July 17, 2008

SEBRING - Imagine Vicki Pontius' surprise. She had rented the football fields at Highlands County Sports Complex to the Sebring Youth Football Association.

She was ready to present the contract to the county commissioners Tuesday morning when Ron Cochran and Steve Ashley showed up, saying the Heartland Soccer Club thought they had permission to use the same fields.

"It was a little upsetting," said Cochran on Wednesday. "We had some fields last year, and we were going to get them back this year."

Pontius, the county's parks and recreation director, had drawn up a written contract with David Jones, president of the football association.

"Soccer had verbal consent with Rocky," said Pontius. Rocky Ellingsworth, the sports complex manager, was dismissed two weeks ago.

"I had a written contract with the football guys. I didn't even know soccer was floating around, until they came to the meeting and said they had an arrangement," Pontius said. So she got on the phone with Jones, who conceded the use of one of the three fields to the soccer association.

"Once football is out of there, soccer can use more of the fields and perhaps use the concession building if they would like to," Pontius said.

"We got what we're looking for," said Jones. "For eight years, we've been practicing on the baseball fields at Max Long, or in parking lots. We'd tell our guys to line up at the 40 for a kickoff, and they'd go, well, I guess that's around center field."

The football association had worked with Pontius to provide plans for the concession stand and the roof trusses. They accepted old bleachers from the high school, and spent 400 man hours repainting and refurbishing them. Local businesses furnished goal posts and the fencing and a scoreboard.

The bottom line, said Pontius, Jones and Cochran, is that everyone is happy now. Soccer will use field D on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

The Heartland Soccer Club has two divisions, 19 and under, and 12 and under. Each plays 10 games per season, with children coming from each of the three towns. They are charged $20 to practice, and $80 to play in games or tournaments.

"That basically covers their insurance," Cochran said.

For more information, contact Ron Cochran, 385-2888.

Sebring Youth Football Association begins using fields A, B and C from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The association will host home games Aug. 30, Sept. 6, Sept. 13, Oct. 11 and Nov. 1.

For more information, contact Steve Jones, 381-3356.

"We are happy to be able to accommodate both the football and soccer programs," Pontius said. "Both are wonderful activities for our local youth."

Gary Pinnell can be reached at gpinnell@highlandstoday.com or 863 386-5828S

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT