Trustees told CHS sports fields ‘a balancing act’

Scheduling conflicts and safety questions with Carson High School’s athletics facilities recently prompted a request for discussion by Carson City School Board Trustee Molly Walt.

CHS vice principal Cody Farnworth, new Athletic Director Thomas Reymer and athletic secretary Samantha Golden, who oversees the school’s facilities’ schedule, gave an overview and details about the management of team priorities and practices on Tuesday.

Issues included equitable opportunities for freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams to share the fields and shortages officials at games, they said.

Golden referred to the stadium field as the core example for conflicts, although there are also needs for the weight room and big gym, with six teams using each space.

“It’s all a balancing act,” Golden said of the daunting task of overseeing the school’s schedule.

CHS schedules games and practices for 14 different sports — with 34 total teams — in addition to school events while managing the district’s requests throughout the year.

This fall, there are 49 games to be played on the field within 11 weeks, with teams also practicing Mondays through Fridays. For seven teams seeking practice, there are 39 available field days; also, Carson High’s band practices take place Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

OFFICIALS IN SHORT SUPPLY

Challenges are bound to happen, Reymer said, and one of the biggest to date relates to a shortage of game officials. He also said transportation and event-timing issues for students are a consideration, due to a lack of bus drivers across the state.

“It all comes down to financial (feasibility),” he said.

Walt first requested the item in May as Superintendent Andrew Feuling, chief financial officer Spencer Winward and capital and special projects manager Mark Johnson presented the revised Capital Improvement Plan for fiscal years 2023-28. She inquired about Carson’s practice field used by the soccer and football teams that needs replacement, Reymer said.

Golden said facility rules must be observed for the school, and priority use is given to Carson’s sports teams over any outside entity.

Farnworth suggested one idea to help with housing students on the soccer field was to have the operations and maintenance staff convert two mobile rooms into locker rooms for student use.

“Let’s gut it, let’s rebuild it, and we have locker rooms now, and we can make that a premiere soccer field for high schools,” Farnworth said. “… It’s a great location and a great spot. I know in the past with coaches, they’d rather play with that nice, new stadium that we got. I get why kids want to play out there.”

‘CRAZY MAGIC’

Walt thanked Golden and staff members but also asked to make sure non-varsity players are given equal opportunities on the field.

Board president Laurel Crossman said it was important to remember the item was informational only.

“The scheduling that goes on is a crazy type of magic that you work out because you’re working with every other school in the state, you’re working with limited resources, trying to give the kids as many opportunities as they can in the most equitable manner as you can, and that lets me know you guys are doing a fantastic job,” Crossman said.

Trustee Mike Walker, who also serves as a member of the Nevada State Board of Education, said he was impressed with CHS staff and students making things work.

“There’s a lot of moving pieces, and I think one of the great things about this community and Carson High School is for such a large school, we do find ways to support many, many students, and there’s hiccups,” Walker said. “There are a lot of kids who are active in sports and extracurricular activities and clubs, and we want you to know we appreciate what you do.”