JACKSON SCHOOL BOARD CONSIDERS GETTING A GIRL'S SOCCER PROGRAM

JACKSON - The Jackson School Board will consider a request to implement a girl's varsity soccer program during a January board retreat.

The issue is one of a number board goals and issues that will be reviewed by the board members during the Jan. 15 retreat that will be held on the Jackson High School campus.

Board member T. Wayne Lewis suggested the soccer issue be put on the retreat agenda after the board heard a report on a feasibility study from high school Principal Vernon Huck and Athletic Director Kent Gibbs.

In his report, Huck said he contacted schools in Southeast Missouri, metro St. Louis area and Southern Illinois and asked if they would be interested in a girl's varsity soccer program.

"We have not found a school in this area, either in Missouri or in Illinois, that will be starting this sport. We have not even found a school that is saying that there is an interest in looking into the possibility of starting girls soccer," said Huck.

"There is some soccer for girls in the St. Louis area, but the St. Louis schools will not travel this far to play us. The only choice we would have is to travel to St. Louis for all matches," he said.

Superintendent Wayne Maupin said at a recent meeting he asked superintendents from the Bootheel north to Jefferson County if they would be interested in varsity girls soccer program. "There was no interest whatsoever expressed by any of the superintendents I talked to," said Maupin.

Huck said a school trip to St. Louis would take about 7 hours with travel and game time, eating, etc., and cost around $300 per bus. "We have no guarantee that the (St. Louis) city schools would even be interested in playing Jackson," Huck said.

"Our recommendation is not to begin this sport until other schools are willing to do the same. If the interest remains as it is, then we will look into the possibility of starting this sport every one or two years."

But board member Jack Knowlan Jr. disputed Huck's finding that no other schools were interested. Knowlan contacted eight schools, including Carbondale, Cahokia, Ill., and Notre Dame, and they expressed interest in a girls soccer program if Jackson would do the same.

Said Knowlan: "I do not buy the idea that we cannot find anyone to play. We do not have support for the program within the administration. Somebody has to take the lead. We can't sit back and wait for someone else to do it. We need a plan for a positive approach to this issue. It could be a cooperative effort between Jackson, Cape Central and Notre Dame."

Knowlan challenged the board to make a decision on the issue, saying, "It's not feasible unless we work to make it feasible."

Huck said he is not opposed to a girls soccer program, but added, "We're jumping the gun by a few years."

Board President Darrell Hanschen pointed out the soccer issue was one of the last to be added to the list of board goals, and reminded the board that there are other crucial academic and facility goals that need to be considered as soon as possible. These include the gifted program, which is mandated by the state and the high school science program.

"We urgently need more science lab space in the high school. All of these are going to require a lot of the board's attention and money," said Hanschen.

He said that while the board supports girls soccer, other issues are more pressing. "The board is not opposed to girls soccer. It will eventually come to Jackson," he said.