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Students, parents press Uinta County School District for a girls high‑school softball team; board seeks numbers and costs
Summary
Students and community members urged the board to create a girls high‑school softball program, citing scholarship, safety and mental-health benefits; administrators said they need detailed participation and cost figures and flagged facility and budget constraints to be addressed at the July retreat.
Dozens of students and community members told the Uinta County School District #1 board they want a girls high‑school softball team and asked trustees to move the idea forward.
Student speakers — led by Emma Barker and followed by several teammates and community supporters — said the team would offer continuity after middle school, scholarship pathways and a positive environment for girls’ health and safety. Jesse Barnes, executive director of the Uni County Safe Task Force (Sexual Assault & Family Violence Task Force), urged support and cited research (the Women's Sport Foundation) that participating girls are less likely to experience anxiety, depression and harassment.
Board members thanked speakers and asked for concrete numbers: the administration asked advocates to submit written lists with name, address and grade to establish sustainable JV/varsity rosters. Trustees and staff raised three practical constraints: facilities (where the team would play given weather and site costs), recurring operating costs (uniforms, transportation and tournaments) and long-term funding, especially after administration’s budget presentation showed a projected activities shortfall under the state’s recalibration.
Parents and community speakers described potential fundraising approaches and cited a Sheridan example in which parents raised tens of thousands and the district matched part of the cost for a two‑year commitment; the board also discussed the possibility of corporate sponsorships but noted questions about long‑term commitments and Title IX/venue implications.
Administrators said new activity proposals normally proceed through the district strategic plan and the July board retreat, when priorities are set alongside the finalized budget; they advised that the district could not promise a start for 2026–27 without firm commitments on student numbers and a clear funding plan.
Board next steps: the trustees said they will review submitted lists and cost proposals and consider the request in the July budget/retreat timeline. They emphasized they support activities in principle but must balance program growth against the district budget and facility constraints.
Representative quotes
"If we don't have a high school team, then this will end after our seventh grade year," Emma Barker told the board.
"When girls have access to a supportive girl‑centered athletic environment, they build assertiveness and boundary‑setting skills," Jesse Barnes said, citing national research.
Practical details requested by the board include: a written roster of interested students (name, address, grade), an estimate of recurring annual costs (travel, uniforms, coaches), and a proposal for a practice/home field or a sponsorship model that guarantees multi‑year support.
