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Youth football request for varsity field use raises insurance and maintenance questions; district pauses decision
Summary
The Cherry Hill Regional School Committee discussed a request from the Cherry Hill Cowboys to use the main-campus varsity field. District officials and counsel said the request requires higher liability coverage and clarity on field-repair responsibilities; the issue was left unresolved and will return for further review.
A request by the Cherry Hill Cowboys youth football organization to use the district’s varsity field prompted an extended discussion on June 17 about insurance, field condition and operational responsibility. The district did not approve the request at the meeting and asked for more information from the Cowboys and further review with the district trust (insurance) representatives.
District staff outlined a timeline of meetings and walk-throughs with Cowboys representatives that began in February and included two site inspections of campus playing fields. The district’s risk manager and the insurance trust raised concerns about the limits of umbrella liability coverage being offered by the team’s insurer. Attorney John Anderson and district staff said the trust requires higher umbrella limits than the Cowboys’ current coverage; the trust requested limits at $5 million (umbrella) in one referenced exchange while the Cowboys’ documentation showed a $1 million umbrella limit.
John Anderson explained that the campus is owned by the district, not by a town parks department, and that other districts that allow youth organizations to use fields often have town departments responsible for field maintenance and scheduling. The district’s counsel flagged prior litigation tied to athletic activities at district facilities and emphasized the need to protect school operations in case of injury or field damage.
Cowboys representatives said their insurer (and a board member who also serves as the team’s insurance agent) had provided documentation the team believed was consistent with other area youth teams that play on high‑school fields. The Cowboys’ representatives also supplied comparative arrangements from other nearby school districts where youth organizations use high-school fields without additional fees, and they asked for parity with other towns in their league.
The committee and administration identified key open questions: whether the Cowboys’ insurance meets the district trust requirements, how field damage would be repaired and in what timeframe, and what operational responsibilities (grounds, concessions, restrooms) the district would retain. The administration will continue discussions with the Cowboys and the insurance trust; committee members suggested obtaining estimates for recurring field maintenance to inform future decisions. No formal approval was granted at the June 17 meeting.
