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TOPIC: Youth Football needs help. |
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| Sam
September 5, 2007
10:36:21 AM
Entry #: 2354790
| These guys need help wherever we can get it.....
My name is Clayton Olson I am the Head Coach Of the Youth Football program here in Marion. We have 4 traveling teams and 4 flag football teams that play in Marion (roughly 200 kids in the program). In December I went to the Park board to try and find a new place for us to practice. For the last ten years, once school started, we have move to the outfield grass at Ray Fosse Park. With the program growing the last few years we are in need of a larger area to practice. I was told they would brainstorm and talk to the school district and get back to me. With no word I went back in February and was told basically the same thing. This time in June I was told through different sources that the park board had planned to put up lights at the Jr. High Football field. Needless to say this never happened either. So last week I contacted the park board to get a key to the lights at Ray Fosse Park, and was told we could not practice out there anymore because we were damaging the grass on the field. Tonight I went to the board meeting and after blame for not getting lights up was passed to the School and the Rec. board, I was told that the park board couldn't do anything for us because were not associated with the park board. So now I am stuck with no where to go and practicing on a field that gets dark a little over halfway through practice. This is the second time this year I've been told our kids aren’t as important as grass! The only way to get them to listen is to get as many people as we can to contact them and complain. Please help us convince the City officials our program is important!
Thank You,
Coach Olson
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| DMENN
September 5, 2007
10:57:47 AM
Entry #: 2354834
| I feel for you in reference to your post. Unfortunetly the City will not help you. The park board ONLY cares about what they will get out of it and not to mention - more work for them! I dont see what it matters about the grass at Ray Fossee, I think the grass grows back in time for the season, what a joke.
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| Kevin
September 6, 2007
12:44:33 PM
Entry #: 2356811
| CLAYTON!!
Dude you know how bad our park board is. They wont do a damn thing if its not based around baseball. What exactly do they get paided to do cause it seems like a pretty damn good job to sit around have monthly meetings for about 30 minutes give ur self a pat on the back then go home and collect a check. The Park Board in Marion is the deffiention of worthless. If you want anything done go through The Recreation Dept. there good people they will help you out. Talk to your buddy Dennis Blankship.
OH YEAH MARION PARK BOARD SUCKS ASS!
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| jeffro2
September 7, 2007
1:57:40 PM
Entry #: 2358871
| Thats a worthless, spineless board in my O. Theese are marion kids ! playing football with MARION on the front of their jerseys!! Parents want their kids to play sports are be active in their community , and not play video games and or out being little THUGS ! As you said it , they choose outfield grass on a REC or jr. high ball field over marion football !! They oughta be ashamed of themselves!! NONE of THOSE PEOPLE WILL GET MY VOTE NEXT TIME !!
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| KEVIN
September 7, 2007
5:15:53 PM
Entry #: 2359278
| REMEMBER HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR THEM TO FIX ONE LIGHT AT PRYMAID PARK SO WE WERE ABLE TO PLAY FULL COURT HOCKEY AND PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SEE THE PUCK?? IT TOOK 3 MONTHS TO CHANGE ONE LIGHT.
also if anyone has been to ray fosse park latley maybe u have noticed by the batting cages where they claim to have put in a tennis court/ hockey court. I have questions and maybe im being unfair. Someone plese tell me if i am....
1.arent tennis courts suppose to have lines?
2.Are tennis nets suppose to be made out of chain linked fence?
3.should there be holes in the concerte by the fence?
4.Who pocketed the 40,000 dollars that was supposvily spent on this project?
5.arent hockey courts suppose to have lines?
(side note) these hockey courts were promised to the hockey players in marion to be done and playable by october 2006. they were not completed until mid jaunary 2007.
Listen heres my point to everyone reading this:
our park board is worthless, when its time to elect new ones lets do so. Lets no re-elect the chumps we have in there now because they dont do anything. Marion is growing and theres more intrest out there than baseball. We need to have people who understand this. This football thing is outrageous something needs to happen for these kids. We need the right people on our board!
PARK BOARD SUCKS ASS.
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September 7, 2007
11:01:29 PM
Entry #: 2359721
| Have you guys ever thought of adding flag football for kids as young as 1st grade? My son and some of his friends had to go to a different town to play flag football. I know that there are quite a few kids that would sign up if this was made available in Marion. Just a suggestion, let me know what you think.
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| Anthony Rinella
September 14, 2007
9:10:56 AM
Entry #: 2369968
| As President of the Marion Park Board I feel compelled to respond to the blatant remarks made toward the board and its members. This is most likely a direct result of lack of information being provided to those who felt compelled to run their mouth before knowing all the facts. But we will just consider the source in their case at this time. One thing needs to be made very clear, that it was members of the Marion Park Board that helped secure the use of the Jr. High field for the football program. Secondly, Mr. Olson attended the Sept. meeting of the board and voiced his concerns about the lighting and merely asked who he needed to see. We explained to Mr. Olson that the football program was under the direction of the Marion Recreation Dept. and that was the first place he needed to start. Also because practice was being conducted on school property it might worthy of him to see if the school district could be of any help. Anyone in their right minds can see that the success of our high school team is a direct result of this program. Mr. Olson was also informed that some of us were under the impression that the athletic director of the school district was going to bring the lighting issue up at the August meeting of the school board. The one real misconception that has to be cleared up is the fact that the Marion Park District has no programs under its authority. We merely provide facilities at little or no cost to organizations such as the Marion Soccer Association, Marion Youth Baseball and Softball, Marion Marlins Swim Team, American Legion Baseball, Marion Recreation Dept., to name just a few. Little things like salaries, insurance, equipment, maintenance of the parks are paid by taxpayers of the district. Which to clarify one more point, no park board member receives compensation for sitting on the board and board meetings last an average of four hours. Anyone who saw Stotlar Field after football practice was over last fall would have to agree that the field was left is shambles. The field was refertilized and seeded in hopes that grass would grow before the high school baseball team commmenced use in the spring of 07. Due to the abnormally wet and cold weather that occurred, that did not transpire. Those "kids" actually played in mud in right field as a result of the field being torn up from football practice. That particular field is used by four different baseball programs through the course of a season and gets an abnormally high use compared to our other fields. It has to be allowed to rest at some time and prepared for use in the following year. Never at anytime did a member of the Park Board put grass above the kids, NEVER. Anyone who says that the Marion Park District has not tried to comply with the wishes of those who use the parks are just simply out of touch with reality. For instance, a new skate board park, new bath rooms, new score boards, larger roller hockey facility and yes we are quite aware that it has not been stripped yet, but on the advice of those who laid down the new asphalt we were told to let it sit a year, reseal and then stripe it. The Marion Park District is its own separate taxing body. We are in no way affiliated with the City of Marion who has a budget of nearly 40 million dollars compared to our $600,000. Our tax base is very limited to what we receive on a annual basis. Faced with the burden of maintenance of the parks, upkeep and purchasing of new equipment, along with insurance and employees salaries we feel that the services and facilities provided in the park district are second to none in Southern Illinois. One last comment, no problem has every been solved by badmouthing it. Compounding problems with problems has never solved a thing. Coming up with solutions are how problems get solved. My suggestion is that the football association, Marion Recreation Dept. and Marion School District get together to see if a plan can get formulated before next season to solve the lighting problem. I just bet with a little volunteer work and some fund raising efforts this is a possibilty. While I'm only one voice on the board, I would say its a strong possibilty that other members of the board would be willing to help in any way to make this a reality. Just one more last comment, to those of you that just sit around your computers to make ill fated comments towards others, go out and get involved and try to make a difference instead of running your mouth and achieving nothing.
Sincerely,
Anthony Rinella
Board President
Marion Park District
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| DReid
September 14, 2007
10:50:08 AM
Entry #: 2370134
| I don't know how I missed this post. I try not to regulate what is said as long as it is done in good taste. There are obviously posts in here that didn't fit that and are not well thought out and are out of line. But since you replied Anthony, I'll leave them up as your answer is to those posts.
Like Anthony said, please think before you put something up on here bad mouthing someone else or a group of people. You have a long life ahead of you for one. I can guarantee that it will probably come back to bite you in your rear.
That being said, since I became involved in our softball league and then took it over, I have had really ZERO problems with the Park Board or the Park District Maintenance crew. They have all been MORE than helpful with ANY issues that we've had out at the fields. As far as getting things fixed, installing new things, mowing at a seconds notice, getting the fields ready for games, etc... I can tell you that I personally find it hard to believe that these statements are 100% accurate. I'm not saying that anyone is lying, I'm just saying that I find it hard to believe that the whole story was being told.
Be patient, there are a lot of things to do and I honestly think they're doing what they can with what they have. For example, it took a while longer than expected to get the batters box mats put in at the fields, but they got done. Do I expect us to be number one on their list? No. I'd rather our kids get first priority, but that they still get things done for us ADULTS, which they do.
I honestly feel that if you bring an issue to them, they will do whatever they can to help. If they can't, they will find out who can and point you in that direction.
But please post with a little bit of responsibility and just don't telling people that they suck ass.
Dan
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| FREEDOM OF SPEECH
September 14, 2007
11:21:24 AM
Entry #: 2370203
| All I have to say is FREEDOM OF SPEECH ~Anthony!!!
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| Sam
September 14, 2007
1:46:01 PM
Entry #: 2370431
| I posted this on behalf of the football team and the kids. The point of this post was to get facts out to as many people, some who have kids that will soon be involved, as possible, so that a solution can be found.
Here are the FACTS that this post was trying to explain with no blame attatched:
Our 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade football teams have practiced every summer/fall from 6:00-8:00 in the evenings, and right now we are practicing in the dark or cutting practice off early.
This is the first year this has happened and it is ridiculous considering that there are three weeks left in the season and our 8th grade team is undefeated and vying for a championship, but practicing in the dark! Those are the facts...and all we want is help.
Thank you,
Sam Olson (7th grade Coach)-889-5972
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| KennyB
September 14, 2007
10:05:27 PM
Entry #: 2371088
| My son plays for the sixth grade team and also played last year.Watching these kids play and practice is nothing short of amazing. This program obviously helps build the varsity and junior varsity football program as last year will show. Anthony is right, the only way to find solutions to issues like these is to get involved instead of bashing someone without all the facts. Freedom of Speech is one thing but bad mouthing without even knowing what really is going on is another. Hats off to Sam Olson and his coaching staff for keeping this program going.Let's get behind our kids and their coaches and support them instead of bashing our city officials and volunteers. By the way, I believe that an application is being filled out for a grant from AMEREN to have lights put in at the Junior High.It sounds to me like the Marion Youth Football League is a good candidate.Keep up the good work Sam and also to your coaching staff.
Kenny Branson
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| Ohney
September 15, 2007
11:30:04 AM
Entry #: 2371442
| Mr. Rinella
Who do we need to contact to try to get our softball fields resurfaced. I understand budget but safety has to play a factor. Our infields at Pyramid Park are the worst in the state that get used regularly. People get hurt nightly because of bad bounces and sand box type footing. Our league has been told "do not touch the fields for Union reasons". We have plenty of responsibe Adults willing to donate our time to fix our fields but cant. I am personally willing to do whatever needed to help this get done. Can you help steer me in the right direction?
Ohney
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| Anthony Rinella
September 17, 2007
11:58:33 AM
Entry #: 2373994
| Ohney,
Our park supervisor was told to buy a material that Dan had seen on fields in the St.Louis area. I will check with him and see if it has been purchased and applied, if not I will authorize him to do so immediately. We instructed him to buy as much as two pallets of this material to apply between second and shortstop on both fields and as money allowed to expand to the entire infield. Additionally we will be installing scoreboards at both fields in the near future. We received a grant to replace the scoreboards at Fosse Park and will take the two best to the softball fields and use the others for parts if needed. Also we plan on expanding the upper field in the fall of 08 to ASA specs. Have the guys to start looking for dirt because its in short supply right now.
Anthony
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| DReid
September 17, 2007
1:18:07 PM
Entry #: 2374175
| Thanks for taking the time to reply Anthony. To clear one thing up though, I didn't exactly say for you guys to buy the Turface. My recommendations were what I forwarded on. Which was information of what 2 different fields use for the mix on their infields. They weren't all turface, but turface was mixed in with other materials. Mark was going to get with the person who rebuilt a local field (i think in Carterville) and was going to see what he did.
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| Anthony Rinella
September 17, 2007
1:32:36 PM
Entry #: 2374212
| Dan,
I understand that, but after you left we made a board decision to go ahead and buy two pallets of the turf mix. I talked to Mark a short time ago on the phone, he told me that he had originally ordered the material but the order had to go to somewhere else. He's going to get on the phone this afternoon and see about getting the material. If you guys were thinking about pruchasing some to, he can put it down when it comes in. Let us order it though so we can at least use our tax exempt status and you guys can reimburse the park district. None the less, it will hopefully be put down in a short amount of time. Keep us posted on the field conditions and feel free to contact me on my cell at 889-1575.
Thanks,
Anthony
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| ohney
September 19, 2007
12:00:07 AM
Entry #: 2377191
| thank you Mr. Rinella for your help. Dan, Get on it. You aint got sh*t to do all day. Anything i can do to help, i'm in
ohney
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| DReid
September 19, 2007
12:11:59 AM
Entry #: 2377201
| Thanks Anthony. We'll keep you guys updated.
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| jeffro2
September 22, 2007
11:57:03 PM
Entry #: 2383385
| After reading certain responses to what had been going on w/ the football program . It sounds like theres been quite a bit of Miscommunication ! It's sad that our children missed out on lighted practices this year, but hopefully it will get all worked out by next year. Thanks for everyone doing their jobs to the best of their ability .
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| hehe
September 23, 2007
11:20:18 AM
Entry #: 2383740
| I thought the whole point of posting on this site was to keep the CUBBIES going with posts....lol
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