Coach Brandon Cochran urges district to restore Westside soccer field, cites communication breakdown

Brandon Cochran, who identified himself as the soccer and track coach at Wesa High School, told the Wyoming County Schools board during public comment that his programs have grown but cannot host home games at Westside because the field is unusable following flooding and because permanent soccer lines were never added to the turf.

"My frustration is the lack of communication with a resolution to that," Cochran said, adding that he has been allowed to practice at Westside but that the team has had to host home matches at Oiana Middle School. "Our jerseys say Westside, not Oiana," he said, arguing that playing off campus hurts recruitment and attendance. Cochran said his camp last year drew more than 20 children and that summer sign-ups now include players from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Board members and staff said a vendor from McKenley will be coordinated to inspect the field after the flooding, and staff told Cochran they would notify him when that inspection is scheduled so he can walk the site with them. A board member referenced a prior estimate of roughly $25,000 for adding permanent field lines; staff said they would provide a formal quote and next steps.

The coach also noted middle-school coaching vacancies: he said there had been a request for two middle-school coaching positions and that local coaches were pursuing required training; he emphasized the importance of timely posting and filling of those roles so middle-school players feed into the high-school program.

The board did not take formal action during Cochran’s public comment beyond directing staff to pursue an inspection and follow up with the coach. The board and staff framed the next step as scheduling the field inspection, obtaining a written quote for striping and repairs, and informing Cochran of the timeline. No binding commitment about funding or timing was recorded on the audio transcript.