Clintonville plans games in spring

By Bert Lehman

Clintonville Middle School will add coed soccer to its spring athletic offerings during the next school year.

The Clintonville School Board unanimously approved adding the sport to the district’s offerings when it met June 27.

Superintendent Troy Kuhn told the board that Shaun Liesch, the activities director, sent a survey regarding soccer for grades 6-8. The survey was sent to families in mid-February.

“Surprisingly, we had a boatload of people wanting middle school soccer,” Kuhn said.

Board member Chad Dobbe said the idea was discussed prior to the survey. He said it was ready to be presented to the board at the same time COVID-19 was hitting the area.

“I actually had a coach at the time, and then covid happened and everything kind of fell apart, and I’ve been bugging Shaun (Liesch) on the side,” Dobbe said.

Kuhn added that the discussion has led to the junior varsity field being aerated, and other things taking place.

“We feel it’s a good thing,” Kuhn said.

In a letter to board members, Liesch stated, “I feel as though it is in the best interest of our student population to have a new offering for these students that would better support our high school programs. I feel as though the spring would be the best season because we only offer one other sport (track and field) during this season, and it would not interfere with the city of Clintonville’s youth soccer program in the fall.”

According to the letter from Liesch, 23 students are interested and eligible to participate in middle school coed soccer next year. Another 20 students from third and fourth grade are also interested.

Information from letter

• One or two coaches would be needed. The pay would be the same as the other middle school coaching positions, which is $1,300 base pay to start, increasing incrementally every five years of coaching.

• Two officials would be needed per game at an estimated cost of $50 per official for a maximum of five or six home games, for a total of around $600. Funds would be paid out of Fund 80, the Community Service Fund. Team uniforms would also need to be purchased for the initial year at a cost of around $2,000.

• There are multiple practice fields available in the spring, and the middle school locker/changing rooms could be used.

• The middle school co-ed soccer program would not be affiliated with the WIAA because middle school athletics are not affiliated with the WIAA.

• Multiple teams throughout the district’s middle school and high school conferences are looking at adding middle school soccer offerings. Shawano and Waupaca currently offer middle school soccer, while New London is adding it next year.