The board of directors is planning to renovate the soccer field and build an eight lane track around it as a part of a master plan to improve the athletic facilities at STA.

Expanding the property

Although the board has not made a commitment to the soccer and track renovations, they are currently investigating how to fit the track around the soccer field.

To create room for the track, the school is attempting to buy the island of land on 55th street and Westover. The island belonged to the Sisters of St. Joseph, but was given to the city in the 1920’s.

If the city sold the island back to the school, the construction company, Kissick Construction, would expand STA property to the edge of the island. Expanding the property would create enough room to fit the track.

To ensure that this change would not cause any traffic problems, the city conducted a traffic study of 55th and Westover, and the results showed that expanding STA property would not disrupt traffic. The next step in renovating the fields is a meeting between the board of directors and the neighborhood association to seek their input.

Before any renovations can happen, the city and the neighborhood association must approve expanding STA property to the island.

Why

According to Hough, the athletic department and administration began discussing these renovations at the beginning of the school year. They looked at the hours students spent playing sports and considered ways to help athletes that have to commute to practice.

“Say we have an athlete that has a two hour practice every evening of the week,” Hough said. “If they have to practice 20 minutes away, now their time commitment is three hours. The entire idea behind all these renovations is to help the students.”

Hough also hopes these renovations will increase the level of competition in STA athletics.

“Look at many other high schools,” Hough said. “Whenever it rains, their softball team has batting cages and the soccer team can play on their turf field. Their soccer teams are practicing while their softball teams are batting while their track teams are running, all at the same time. If we want to start competing at the same level as those teams, we need to do the same things with our athletic facilities.”

“Look at many other high schools,” Hough said. “Whenever it rains, their softball team has batting cages and the soccer team can play on their turf field. Their soccer teams are practicing while their softball teams are batting while their track teams are running, all at the same time. If we want to start competing at the same level as those teams, we need to do the same things with our athletic facilities.”

Sophomore soccer player Katie Beirne also believes that the fields need to be improved.

“The soccer field here is awful,” Beirne said. “The field is not regulation size, and there is no room to take corner kicks. The hills that surround the field are annoying, the field is not level and there are potholes everywhere.”

“The soccer field here is awful,” Beirne said. “The field is not regulation size, and there is no room to take corner kicks. The hills that surround the field are annoying, the field is not level and there are potholes everywhere.”

Beirne said that the fields especially need to be fixed because of weather damage.

“The field gets soggy and unplayable in the winter when it rains,” Beirne said. “And then, when the teams play on it, we ruin the field. We either need a turf field, or we need a good drainage system. Other high schools have turf fields that are regulation size. They have nice fields and good nets. Their fields are well kept. Our school does not do anything to fix the soccer fields but mow them.”

When

STA president Nan Bone does not know how long these renovations will take or when they will begin. The board of directors has not drafted a timeline because they are still focused on the current Inspiring Women Capital Campaign, which is raising money for a new chapel and classrooms. However, Bone is committed to improving the athletic facilities at STA.

“Anything that benefits our women is important to me,” Bone said. “[These improvements] will elevate our programs because they will offer more time to practice and less time in travel to another site for practice.”

“Anything that benefits our women is important to me,” Bone said. “[These improvements] will elevate our programs because they will offer more time to practice and less time in travel to another site for practice.”

Cost

Although there is not yet an estimated figure for the cost of these renovations, the board of directors plans on paying for the costs with grant money.

Before any of the athletic renovations can happen, the school must complete the current capital campaign.

“Although the athletic renovations are important, we need more classrooms, and we need a chapel,” Hough said.

The Master Plan

To map out all the potential improvements, the board of directors, school administration and athletic department created a master plan. According to Hough, fixing the grass on the soccer fields and adding a track is just one part of the master plan. Before next season, Hough hopes to renovate the current tennis courts, build two more courts, and maintain the softball fields.

“The tennis and softball renovations are more based on need than the soccer renovations,” Hough said. “After mapping out the master plan, we know we can fit another two tennis courts adjacent to the current ones. That is a renovation we have to have. We also found out that we can improve our soccer and tennis facilities and create a track in the space we have. But, the soccer and track renovations are more of a wish list at this point.”