From the February, 2004 Knightly
News
History of the Privately
Funded Sports Complex
In the summer of
1996, Fred Moor and Howard Bluhm attended a Total Quality Management
meeting. The meeting confirmed that the school board could not address
the needs of the outdoor and indoor sports facilities.
In November, 1996, the
Privately Funded Sports Complex Committee was created with the vision of
providing quality athletic facilities. This group designed goals,
projects, and budgets to begin making the Otsego sports facilities a
reality. The founding members of the group went door-to-door asking for
five-year pledges to finance the projects. By the spring of 1997, pledges
totaled more than $200,000.
The Otsego Athletic
Boosters have pledged $100,000 to the fund. Over the course of its
existence, the Privately Funded Sports Complex has raised more than
$565,000 through pledges, fund-raisers, and donations. The dollar amounts
raised provide a base for the completion of projects, but the in-kind and
free labor donations are what make these projects a reality. The
committee starts new projects based on pledges for the upcoming year.
If you would like
to donate to the PFSC, pledge forms are available on the school district
web site or by contacting the high school office at 419-823-4911.
Volunteers and new officers are needed to help continue the tradition of
providing the necessary athletic facilities. The next meeting is Feb. 9 @
7 p.m. at the high school.
The
Wrestling Complex is Born
Four years ago, a
group of wrestling parents evaluated the possible solutions to the lack of
wrestling facilities at the high school. The conclusion was that a new
building was needed. Once again, parents and community members took it
upon themselves to raise the needed money.
In the fall of 2003,
using support from the Privately Funded Sports Complex and the Athletic
Boosters, along with funds from the wrestler account and many donations,
the dream of a state-of-the-art wrestling complex was under way. The
Wrestling Complex was dedicated in October, 2003.
The
Joel Summersett Press Box
A new pressbox was dedicated to Joel Summersett, an outstanding student
athlete, who was killed in an accident during his senior year. Funding
was provided by the Athletic Boosters, The Joel Summersett Foundation, and
the Privately Funded Sports Complex. His sister Jorey designed the
building. The three-story press box features an observation deck, a film
room, and a much needed equipment storage area.
