Parent urges Ozark board to add paid soccer coaches; administration says request is on budget list
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Summary
Michael Bloom told the Ozark board the high school soccer program is understaffed with two paid coaches covering large rosters and asked for two additional paid positions. Administrators said the request has been placed on the personnel list for budget consideration.
A parent told the Ozark R-VI School Board that the district’s high‑school soccer program needs two additional paid coaches, saying the current staffing level forces cuts and limits player development.
"This investment is essential to ensure that our soccer student athletes receive the support they deserve to excel," Michael Bloom said during the public comment period, describing rosters of more than 50 players per program and asking for a third paid coach immediately and a fourth to prepare for anticipated growth.
Bloom compared soccer staffing to other sports and Central Ozark Conference peers and said a lack of paid coaches prevents forming a freshman team, limits practice group sizes and raises supervision and safety concerns. He also proposed expanding community programming, such as larger cooperative summer camps with local clubs.
Nancy Little, the district athletics presenter, acknowledged the concern and said soccer staffing requests have been on the district’s personnel list for several years. Administration reiterated that personnel requests are evaluated in the context of the annual budget and work‑session planning and said staffing additions would be brought forward when budget timing and advertising for positions allow. "We will bring something here to the board on that," an administrator said.
The exchange did not produce an immediate board action; trustees directed staff to include the coaching request among other personnel priorities to be discussed during budget work sessions ahead of the next school year.
