Ellwood City School Board to Vote on Soccer Program Funding

The soccer debate continues within the Ellwood City School Board.

During the board’s September 9 agenda meeting, board continued the back and forth discussion regarding whether or not funding should be provided to the boys and girls soccer club.

Three players from the boys “club” were in attendance. One player Levi Smith spoke on behalf of the team. He assured the board that the team is dedicated to the season as well as growing the roster through recruiting efforts. He said moving forward the boys team should have no problem maintaining a roster as there are only two graduating seniors this year.

Board Member Kathy McCommons continued to express her support for funding the teams and apologized to the players in attendance for the continued delay in moving forward with funding.

“I personally am embarrassed by that,” McCommons said as she turned to look at the boys.

After making efforts to build the roster for the boys and girls soccer club at the request of fellow board members, Barbara Wilson again motioned for the board to approve funding of no more than $4,300 to the boys and girls teams for transportation and referee costs.

This motion follows numerous meetings featuring discussion on the topic and specifically a “special meeting” that was held on August 16 when the board decided to allow the soccer program to use the Ewing Park School property for practice and to order nets to facilitate those practices.

At that time, practices were moved to Ewing Park to allow for more practice availability time in the hopes to attract additional players.

That “special meeting” came upon the heels of a split vote of 4-4, at the board’s August 8 regular meeting to reject the motion for funding of no more than $4,300 to the boys and girls teams for transportation and referee costs.

Votes to fund the program came from board members McCommons, Wilson, Renee Pitrelli and Norman Boots. Votes to deny the funding came from board President Jennifer Tomon and board members LeRoy Cortez, Erica Gray and Danielle Woodhead. School director Michael Neupuer was absent from the meeting.

At that August 8th meeting, Woodhead, head of the Athletics, Facilities, and Community Committee, said the club signed an agreement on funding when it was formed and any changes to that agreement need to go through Athletic Director Curt Agostinelli.

She along with the other dissenting voters said that they don’t want to withhold funding from the soccer athletes but will not vote to support the program until it gets proper approval.

“It needs to go through the proper channels,” Gray said during the August 8 meeting.

At that August 8th meeting, Pitrelli strongly disagreed with holding out the funding stating that the club needs the funds now in order to enter the season properly up and running.

“It’s a shame that we are delaying these kids,” Pitrelli said. “This is shameful for our children.”

The request for funding originated with Wilson. Wilson said during a May board meeting that the teams were functioning with old, outdated equipment, broken nets, mishappen uniforms, and in some cases a lack of equipment (specifically shelter and/or benches on the sideline). She requested financial assistance from the board at which time she was instructed to do further research in conjunction with Agostinelli to determine costs, needs, and viability of the club.

The club program is made up of players from Ellwood City and Shenango. Wilson said that an agreement with Shenango School District would allow the club to share in costs as their officials have agreed to pay a pro-rated amount of expenses if Ellwood City officials would do the same.