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North Marion hosts NMYA as district explores middle-school football; startup costs and volunteer needs discussed
Summary
Guests from NMYA outlined youth sports programs and a plan to build a middle-school football pipeline; district staff estimated about $15,000 to outfit a 30-player tackle team, noted a $10,000 athletic budget, and said league scheduling and fundraising would determine whether a fall start is feasible.
The North Marion School District on Tuesday heard a presentation from representatives of the local youth athletics group about expanding opportunities for younger students, including plans to bridge a middle-school football gap.
Ashley Murray, an NMYA executive-board member, told the board the nonprofit runs rec-level teams across youth grades and has started a flag-football program for first through fourth grades. Murray said registration is currently strong, that volleyball ran a successful pilot with about 25 participants, and that the group uses anonymous end-of-season surveys to shape future seasons.
District staff member Lindsay outlined what a middle-school tackle program would require. She said the district’s athletic budget is currently about $10,000 per year and that an initial equipment and uniform purchase for 30 players would be roughly $15,000 (helmets, pads, uniforms), with helmets requiring annual reconditioning and replacement roughly every 10 years. Lindsay also noted recurring costs: referee fees cited at about $150 per game-day and league administrative/commissioner fees discussed in the $100–$180 range. Games would need to be played on the high-school field; the middle-school field could be used for practices, which requires coordination with existing soccer schedules.
Why it matters: board members framed the discussion as a community partnership that could improve youth engagement and feed the high-school program. Trustees pressed presenters on volunteer recruitment, fund-raising, and timing; the board repeatedly pointed to April as an important deadline for league scheduling and confirmed that the district would work with boosters and local businesses on fundraising.
Board members and NMYA volunteers discussed using hand-me-down high-school uniforms to reduce costs, though sizing limits and the need for new helmets/pads mean start-up spending will be necessary. The presenters said scholarships and fundraising have helped keep per-child fees modest (district fees were described in the $35–$50 range, depending on free/reduced-lunch eligibility), and that the group has avoided turning away scholarship applicants to date.
The board did not take formal action on the program during the work session but encouraged continued planning, additional outreach to boosters and businesses, and an annual collaboration with NMYA to assess participation and needs. District staff said they would continue negotiations with the league and report back to the board in advance of scheduling deadlines.
