By Tiffany L. Rehbein
The Havre Youth Soccer Association has found a place to practice and play without families having to be in more than one place at one time.
Havre Public Schools and the Department of Parks and Recreation have joined with Havre Youth Soccer to develop the fields that are located immediately south of the high school.
We needed a place to play, said Debi Rhines, president of Havre Youth Soccer. Having fields for all age groups located in one area is a tremendous convenience for families. A generous offer was made by Havre Public Schools to use their practice fields at the high school.
A parcel of land owned by the city was also offered forth for use by the soccer group.
Volunteer parents and laborers have come forward to help prepare the site for use in August. The Chinook Soccer League donated a very generous amount of money to help with the cost of the project, Rhines said.
The Havre soccer group is in the process of installing an underground sprinkler system to better ready the grass for play. Registration fees and donations will help pay for the system, Rhines said. The soccer association must provide their own bathrooms.
Last season, 585 children participated in the soccer program. The season runs for about seven to eight weeks beginning in August and includes teams from Chinook.
The need for new fields arose when MSU-Northern began college football last year. The soccer group lost its fields and set out in search of an all-inclusive area.
We enjoy having the youth play on the field, said school board trustee, Ric Floren. They are providing the underground sprinkler system so that the area is more conducive to the grass they need.
The practice fields are used by the high school as a physical education complex where the high school football team and the marching band practices.
Our only involvement is to provide the land, Floren said about the high schools role.
Parks and Rec was chosen to install the sprinkler system.
With our resources we can do it fairly effectively, said Dave Wilson, director of the department.
Next to the high school land, the City of Havre owns a parcel of land that is about 90 feet wide and 400 feet long, Wilson said.
Now its put to good use, Wilson said about the soccer group using the land. Its promoting community well-being and betterment of the community.
Some trees have been removed, but an agreement exists between the school and Havre Youth Soccer that guarantees new trees will be planted to replace any that are removed in the complex renovation.
