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.

[All-in]

May as well name names. What’s schools are playing soccer on a pasture while football is on a fairway in the area?

Ironton soccer is. The soccer field is terrible. Holes, creek that balls regularly go into, bathrooms across the creek at the baseball field, no handicap parking or is it handicap accessible. Come Ironton, do better for your student athletes.

[All-in]

Here’s what I am saying. You are not from Wheelersburg. You have some agenda against Ironton’s athletic department. I think I know why.

I say you didn’t go to this field because it doesn’t exist. Nor does this friend. You are using this thinly veiled excuse to dig at/do research on Ironton’s soccer field. I can tell this from the language you used. “They were told” “Title IX violation” etc. Pointing it straight at athletic department.

Now, all you have to do is point me towards what field you attended. Say it’s Lucasville. I’ll look it up on Google, see that I’m wrong, and apologize. But you can’t, because I’m right.

I don’t know any of you but Ironton’s soccer field is behind the elementary/middle school. It’s terrible. Check it out. Go there, google it. Whatever you gotta do. It’s disrespectful to their players! We don’t have cameras for film, concession stand, or anything. Title IX or not that is embarrassing and just wrong. We have athletes getting recruited by colleges and when they ask for film, we have to tell them we don’t have any. Why is that? Football has a drone in the air, and cameras in the end zone. A video scoreboard and announcers. Soccer has a scoreboard that we wheel out, and a creek that we have to get balls out of several times a games. I’d love to see a football coach come dig balls out of the creek for the kids. I know this because my kid plays soccer at Ironton. I saw every game there last year. Look the kids up, check their stats. They have some really good athletes who deserve better.

[All-in]

Soccer did not exist at Ironton when the turf was put down. They started as a club league team a few years ago (which is why they play where they do) and this past season it was finalized, and they were officially a true OHSAA team. I would assume moving forward once the turf is revamped the soccer lines will be added. It only makes sense.

That turf doesn’t look too old and the life of field turf is around 10 years or so. We just replaced ours a year or so ago and it was around 10 years old.

I never really understood why you didn’t have a soccer team. It is big at other area schools plus it benefits the football team for a kicker. I know you usually picked one up from St. Joe.

I assume with no proper facility that you play most soccer games away. If the athletic department is having home games, it is risk for both the home and away team if the field is in that bad of shape. Also, a problem if a kids slips trying to get a ball out of the creek. Another issue is the field being handicap accessible to parents including access to restrooms and a concession like other sports. It sounded like they have to go to a baseball field to a concession. How far away is that and could someone handicap get there easily??

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.

Junior high football doesn’t practice there anymore. They have been practicing on the field with the track beside the OU parking lot. They have been there a few years. The only team to use this is boys and girls soccer. Last year was the first official season. The boys have roughly 30 kids that came out to the first open field of the year. The girls are very low on numbers and may not have a team. This I assume would make it a boys and girls combined team if the girls don’t have enough. But 30 for the second year is a very good number. They anticipate a JV and varsity team. Yes, they did host several home soccer games. It is definitely not accessible for the handicap.

[All-in]

That turf doesn’t look too old and the life of field turf is around 10 years or so. We just replaced ours a year or so ago and it was around 10 years old.

I never really understood why you didn’t have a soccer team. It is big at other area schools plus it benefits the football team for a kicker. I know you usually picked one up from St. Joe.

I assume with no proper facility that you play most soccer games away. If the athletic department is having home games, it is risk for both the home and away team if the field is in that bad of shape. Also, a problem if a kids slips trying to get a ball out of the creek. Another issue is the field being handicap accessible to parents including access to restrooms and a concession like other sports. It sounded like they have to go to a baseball field to a concession. How far away is that and could someone handicap get there easily??

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 there is a paved walkway by the softball down the the baseball from the parking lot. Problem is, that gate is locked. Cars must park behind the elementary and middle school in that lot. Cross the rocky patch and then make their way through the grass to pay and walk down to the field. The walkway is not accessible. Come to a game, I promise you!