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Softball games in Valle<br>rejected by school board

GC VILLAGE — The Lady Phantoms will be playing softball games at Grand Canyon this spring after the school board nixed a proposal Monday afternoon to move games to a field in Valle.

Dan Lopez, athletic director, recommended the field in Valle in an effort to not damage the school’s new soccer field. Citing a commitment made to the community about the new athletic field being used for all sports, the school board decided to keep softball games at Grand Canyon.

"My expectation was that softball was going to be played on these fields," school board president Chuck Wahler said. "I think it’s very important that we honor a commitment to this community."

School superintendent Ray Vernon agreed and referred to discussions in school facilities board meetings.

"It’s hard to reneg on that," Vernon said. "If we’re going to the community with that rhetoric, I don’t know how we can go back on that."

Maintenance supervisor Andrew Aldaz and Lopez both showed concern over damage to the soccer field and presented various options to the school board and the crowd of about 35 people at the special meeting.

All three school board members present at the meeting — Wahler, Tom Pittenger and Jon Streit — all had concerns over moving games away from the school to Valle. A vote was not required, but in the end it was decided that a portable backstop would be purchased.

Plans call for a portable backstop to be put up on the northeast corner of the field, which is the same corner where the field was situated in past years.

"The best corner I could find is where it was before," Aldaz said. "We also have to purchase more red fencing and posts."

Among his concerns at the meeting, Aldaz said the soccer field was designed and installed in a way that eliminates ponding. As a result, the field includes sloping which ranges 16 inches from high to low spots.

With the sloping and the soccer field’s sideline layout, a permanent backstop would not work, he said.

Part of the process involves the cutting of sod for a pitcher’s mound and basepaths along with the red fencing installation because of sloping.

The school is now faced with going through the soccer-softball field conversion each year until the possible land deal in Tusayan materializes.

"We’ll put it (the sod) back after softball season is over and get it ready for soccer for the following year," Aldaz said. "We’ll probably use the drawing year after year. If we continue to play all games here, we’ll have to do it year after year."

The school is now under the gun to get the softball field set up before the first home games. The Lady Phantoms’ schedule actually includes only three home dates this year. The opener is scheduled for April 12 against Ash Fork, which gives the district a little more than five weeks to get things ready.

Flag football debates

After significant debating between school officials and the community, the Grand Canyon School Board approved a plan Monday to offer flag football and coed softball to middle-school students this spring.

The idea of flag football and coed softball was proposed by athletic director Dan Lopez as a spring sports opportunity for boys. Flag football will run over the same time period as girls volleyball. Coed softball will then be available for both boys and girls to end the school year.

In a meeting that became emotionally charged at times, the board approved the extracurricular activity additions on a 2-1 vote. The board’s Chuck Wahler and Tom Pittenger voted yes while Jon Streit voted no. Board members Bess Foster and Nicky Lindig were not present.

Among the estimated 35 in attendance, there was some vocal opposition to the spring sports. Most of the talk revolved around flag football.

"When George (Haughton) came in with the hand-drumming idea, I don’t see what you’re doing is any different," said Wahler, school board president. "As a parent, I help my kids make choices. I’m seeing this as one more opportunity for kids."

The flag football season was scheduled to begin Monday with practice. The first games with Seligman and Ash Fork are scheduled for March 16. After spring break, games will resume on April 6 and April 13 to complete a three-week season. Williams does not appear to be in the picture as a participating school.

The entire flag football season will have zero impact on the budget, middle-school AD Matt Yost said. As for coed softball, there would be a cost of $200 for each of two trips. Lopez said the school district’s financial adviser said there’s money in the budget to cover those expenses.

Uniforms will be T-shirts with numbers on them and those costs will be covered by a local sponsor. Referees will be volunteers who will go through a clinic for a few hours prior to the season. Girls would be welcome to play flag football as well.

The coed softball season would have games on April 20 and 27 and then on either May 3 or 4.


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