By: Timothy Kays
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
As a community grows, it seems that the local school shrinks. Rooms in the original plans that were intended to be for a specific purpose become multi-purpose rooms, and multi-purpose rooms tend to become over-crowded, over-booked, and over-used. Grants for expansion are scarce, and in this economy, nobody wants to pay out extra taxes if it is not absolutely necessary. Such has been the case in Wauseon Schools, but that situation has been remedied by the addition of the new Wauseon Athletic Facility, an incredible project that has been undertaken without the use of one dime of taxpayer money. Located adjacent to the Wauseon track and soccer field at the southeast side, the new Wauseon Athletic Facility was accepted by the Board of Education on December 22, and formally dedicated in a well attended official ceremony on the afternoon of January 11.
Welcomed to the event by Athletic Director Matt Hutchinson, the audience was led in the Pledge of Allegiance by Tribe fifth grade wrestler, Mason Ritter.
The first of six guest speakers on the day was District Superintendent, Larry Brown. “This facility truly represents the commitment of our entire community,” he said. Mr. Brown added, “This specific facility will be used by the community to benefit the student athletes, and the future student athletes that reside here and attend the Wauseon Schools. A secondary benefit is that other groups will now have access to the multi-purpose room and the cafeteria inside the high school.”
Mr. Hutchinson returned to the podium, and spoke of the process involving the construction of the building. “It was Sunday, October 13, of 2013…5:02 p.m.,” he began. “I received an e-mail from (Wauseon Wrestling Coach) Mike Ritter. I had to search through 534 e-mails that he and I had shared in order to find this one…534. It was a one sentence e-mail. It was very simple. It was very straightforward. It was very engaged. All it said was, ‘Thought this was worth a shot.’ Attached to the e-mail was a request for me to present to the Athletic Boosters, a request to build a wrestling annex building. 455 days later…here we are.” Mr. Hutchinson went on to talk about how the Athletic Boosters and the community came together to solve a huge problem for the wrestling program. Renowned as a program that produces State champions and placers, practice space for the Tribe is at a premium. In the words of Mr. Hutchinson, “We had space issues, safety issues, locker room issues, lack of availability issues…we had issues.”
Mr. Hutchinson continued, “This building went from groundbreaking to usage in 146 days,” he said, adding, “That’s an incredible turnaround for a project of this magnitude.” Mr. Hodges noted that he was called upon to attend a meeting at Donnell Stadium in Findlay. Dedicated in 1928, the facility remains not just as a functional piece of beautiful period architecture, but also as a site worthy of the OHSAA Regional Football Finals. As he continued, he drew parallels between Donnell Stadium, and the new Wauseon facility.
“October 27, 1928, was the day that Donnell Stadium was dedicated, and the deed to the stadium handed over to the Findlay Board of Education,” Mr. Hutchison said. “At that dedication ceremony, one speaker said, ‘We have endeavored, to the best of our ability, to carry out the plans in accordance with the wishes of the originator of this idea.’ The originator was James C. Donnell, President of the Ohio Oil Company, which is now Marathon Oil. Mr. Donnell wanted to, ‘…provide a place in Findlay, where games of youth could be conducted.’ The fact that the facility was constructed and given to the Findlay City Schools at no cost was quite unusual at the time, and became the envy of many communities throughout the State of Ohio. The original cost of Donnell Stadium was $150,000. Donnell Stadium is still going strong after over 80 years, It is my hope that we have now created our own version of Donnell Stadium. Granted, we have built a completely different type of athletic facility, but the manner in which it came to be, and the building’s purpose, to provide a place in Wauseon where games of youth can be conducted, are very similar to the accomplishments in Findlay many decades ago. This facility will be the envy of many schools, for years to come.”
To look at the interior and exterior of the superb facility, it is difficult to imagine the problems that beset the project, problems that, on more than one occasion, threatened to derail the entire thing. Mr. Ron Hodges, the Project Manager, detailed several of those issues in a speech that saw him fighting back tears as he spoke of how the community came together to push the project through.
Mr. Hodges spoke of the first meeting with the Boosters to discuss the project, and he recalled the zeal shared by Cyndy Brock, Wanda Newlove, Linda Robinson and others who, despite not having any connection to the wrestling program, got behind the building concept and lent their support. Calling them the ‘cornerstone of the project’, Mr. Hodges called out the initial resources of the project…Joe Thourot of Duket Architecture, Kevin Bailey, and Chad Banister of Banister Excavating. The ball began rolling, and with community support and funding from the community and the Boosters, the project left the drawings and began to become reality. Funding, materials and utilities issues were all overcome, thanks to community support and involvement. One of the most striking contributions came at what, to most, would be an impossible time.
The Wauseon Indian logo on the back wall of the south wing is an incredible work of art, and the sign over the drinking fountain near the entrance is no less impressive. Sonya and Jim Ballmer of Fine Lines Laser Engraving volunteered their talents to produce the sign, but like the rest of the building, they ran into a roadblock…and a devastating one at that. As Mr. Hodges recalled, “Jim and Sonya Ballmer did that this week. They said, ‘If you can get us the names by Monday, we can have them up.’ This week, Sonya’s mom went in the hospital; Sonya’s dad went in the hospital, and her brother got into an accident out in Pennsylvania. She lost three people close to her; she had three funerals this week alone. I said, ‘Sonya, take the pressure off; we’ll get the sign some other time.’ We came from a tournament last night…the sign was there.” Again fighting off the tears that were frequently at the threshold of springing forth, he said, “Incredible people do incredible things.”
Coach Ritter stepped to the podium, and recalled some of the difficulties that the team had to endure, just in order to practice. “This whole process came about as a result of the scheduling meeting that usually happens every year between myself, Ashley Oyer and Chad Burt, to try to figure out how to make sure we figure out a place for the junior high wrestling practice, and how it fits in with the basketball schedules, who’s coming back late after school, who’s going to be where, who’s going to be in the cafetorium, when there’s other things going on…the after school program, the choir, the band. This is difficult that every year we have to go through that exercise. Matt explained to us that with the changes in the Athletic Booster program and his involvement, how it would work that, ‘…if you want something from the Boosters, send me this form with a description of what you want and how you want it, and we’ll approach the Boosters about it.’ I sat there about twenty minutes and thought about it, then said, ‘You know what…I’m going to do it,’ – and here we are today.”
Cyndy Brock, the President of the Wauseon Athletic Boosters, came forward and spoke briefly, then apologized for her awkwardness in public speaking. She then called Sandra Griggs, the President of the Wauseon Board of Education to the podium. When Ms. Griggs came forward, Ms. Brock said, “On behalf of the Athletic Boosters, I would like to publically donate this facility to the Wauseon Board of Education and the Wauseon Schools.” With that, Ms. Brock turned over the papers of ownership to the facility, an act which harkened back to the statements made by Mr. Hutchinson regarding the gift of the deed to Donnell Stadium made to the Findlay Board of Education 87 years ago.
“Speaking for the Board of Education,” Ms. Griggs said, “…we thank you all for coming. It has been a pleasure to share in the vision and the dedication of these many volunteers. They obtained the needed permits, completed the necessary inspections, dotted all the I’s, and crossed all the T’s that has brought us here today. This facility is a welcome addition to the Wauseon Schools campus. It will provide much needed space for the many Wauseon athletes, both current, and in the future. We thank you for this beautiful facility.”
Wauseon High School Principal Keith Leatherman came forward to thank all the volunteers, saying, “It never ceases to amaze me the support that this community gives the school system, and the opportunity to provide for the students…and this project is just another example of that commitment to our students.” With that, Mr. Leatherman called forward a delegation of students for the official ribbon cutting. Ellie Hayati, Joshua Kauffman, Maddie Richer and Zac Robinson came forward to flank Wade Hodges and Gavin Ritter as they took the scissors and cut the ribbon.
The ceremonies were then over, but the project goes on. As previously stated, this project was undertaken and brought to fruition by volunteer efforts and donations made by the community. Nary a single cent of Wauseon School tax revenues was expended in the effort, but more is needed. The facility is in need of a washer and a dryer for the laundry room. The weight room is in place, but what do you call a weight room without weights? These are just a couple of the final touches needed to bring this impressive project to a fitting close. The door for assistance remains open to anyone who would like to be a part of a project that will endure long after we are all gone. If you have the capability, and if you have the vision to be a part of a project that will be trans-generational in endurance, Matt Hutchinson would like to hear from you. Please give him a call during school hours at 419-335-5756.
It is not often that a school of champions has an opportunity for the general public to step in and influence the lives and athletic careers of their as-yet unborn great-great grandchildren. That opportunity is indeed available now, and Matt Hutchinson is holding a key just for you!
Timothy Kays can be reached at
tim@thevillagereporter.com
