By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com
Galion City Schools ushered in their status as the first Crawford County school to offer a soccer program by approving the appointments of John Stewart and Eric Palmer as their varsity boys and girls soccer coaches, respectively.
“We’re the first school in Crawford County to have soccer,” Superintendent Jim Grubbs said, “It will help us retain students and give students another sport to play. It’s pretty cool.”
The board was holding a brief special meeting before breaking into executive session to hold a work meeting. The other main topic on the agenda was a contract with Front and Center Turf. This is a professional group out of Mansfield that maintains outdoor athletic facilities. Athletic Director Kyle Baughn recommended them to the board after it was determined that artificial turf was not a cost effective option for the district.
Galion is looking to improve the playing surface on its football field for its own use, and for the potential to host some wider events, such as playoff football games and band competitions. This group comes with a sterling reputation for vastly improving natural grass playing surfaces with improved techniques and supplies. Athletic fields require a higher degree of both material and attention than regular lawns.
The cost for their services would be $22,000. This would service the football field, as well as the baseball and softball outfields. Grubbs also pointed out that this would also relieve the district from using its equipment and man hours in the maintenance of these facilities. While the savings in that regard would not offset the entire $22,000, it would go some way toward eating into that number. Baughn reported that he has also secured $6,000 in donations from the community toward this project.
The contract was approved at $22,000 per year for two years, with a five percent discount for signing on for two years. This gives the district flexibility to non-renew after that second year if they are dissatisfied with services, while gaining access to a cost effective and highly recommended option.
Press release
The Galion City School District Board of Education approved the hiring of coaches for the newly created boys and girls soccer programs at Galion High School during a special meeting April 28.
John Stewart was approved as the new boys soccer coach and Eric Palmer will lead the girls soccer program for the Tigers. Both coaches have extensive playing and coaching experience.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Stewart and Coach Palmer to the Galion family,” Superintendent Jim Grubbs said. “The new soccer programs give students another opportunity to develop vital skills for success in life from the experience of being a student-athlete.”
Stewart, a 1992 Ashland University graduate, was a three-year letterman and senior captain at Mansfield Christian. He competed for the Eagles’ men soccer team for two years, and has coached state level club soccer for three years.
Palmer competed competitively throughout junior high and high school, and played one season at Gordon College. He formed the only competitive soccer team in the City of Galion, the U-14 Galion Raptors, and has lead the team to a 38-3-2 record in three seasons at the helm.