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Area 51 parents ask Mars Area SD board to restore summer evening access to high-school wrestling room
Summary
Parents and Area 51 Wrestling Club leaders told the Mars Area SD board they renovated the district wrestling room and want an exception to a new summer 4:30 closure so the club can run low-cost evening sessions for district wrestlers; the board said it will review policy and follow up after a closed-session discussion.
Parents and leaders of Area 51 Wrestling Club asked the Mars Area School District board on June 9 to reconsider a decision that would close the high-school wrestling room during summer evenings.
"Area 51 is not simply an outside organization renting that school space. It was created by Mars coaches and Mars families to support Mars wrestlers," said Katie Drabicki, who said she was speaking on behalf of Area 51 and many Mars wrestling families. She asked the board to allow the club to continue operating in the evenings so athletes return to school teams better prepared.
Simon Gehring, identified as the club president, told the board Area 51 raised money and did volunteer labor to renovate the wrestling room. "Area 51 families personally contributed $9,265 to renovate that wrestling room," Gehring said, describing a capital campaign and two months of volunteer construction work. He said the club has insurance, is registered as a nonprofit, charges a modest per-session fee ($10 for Mars students, $15 for non‑Mars students), and typically draws 7–23 wrestlers per practice with roughly 20% coming from outside the district.
Board members asked how the club had operated previously, whether it ran under junior-high or high-school programs, and whether the club met the district’s user classification that affects fees and insurance requirements (discussion referenced a district class C vs. D user category, where class C requires at least 75% district residents). Staff said policy would need review and that the athletic director would be consulted to verify how the space was reserved historically and what classification applies.
A board member summarized the central concern: the district has to balance liability, scheduling and staffing for evening access while supporting community-run programs. Administrators confirmed there is no evening custodial staff on duty in the summer and that any exception would need to follow the district’s facility-use and insurance rules.
The board did not make a final decision during the meeting. The chair said the board would discuss the matter further in a closed session on personnel and promised a prompt follow-up with club representatives. A staff member offered to call the club to coordinate next steps.
What’s next: Club leaders said they would like to start sessions as soon as next Monday if permitted; the board scheduled an internal review and will notify the club of any exception or policy change.
