Soccer Symposium Task Force Report

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Citizen Input In order to solicit citizen input and participation in the Soccer Symposium, the Task Force developed a flyer that served the dual purposes of advertising the symposium and permitting individuals to express their interest in and support for soccer. These were distributed by task force members in the weeks prior to the symposium. Press releases were also developed and sent to the media to encourage citizen participation at the symposium. Task Force members returned flyers containing a total of 598 names. Of these 598 individuals, 496 expressed interest in youth soccer and 156 expressed interest in adult soccer. Specific comments included the following: • Create more/better fields with lights • Would improve soccer standards at OHS and help win games • Would help people improve their soccer skills • More practice makes for better skills • Free up practice/game space for other team sports • To have a place of your own to be proud of • (It) can be more convenient for soccer players - reduce travel • Need more sports facilities for youth in Hillsborough and Northern Orange County • Spend money now for the future of youth sports • People are interested in playing sports - don't deny them that • I have always wanted to play soccer in a real soccer complex • Orange County deserves the same support and facilities as other systems • Soccer promotes health, cooperation and teamwork - requires little equipment and appeals to all economic levels • Need safer and better maintained fields —will reduce injury and save knees • Numerous youth comments ("Soccer kicks grass," "Soccer is cool," "Soccer rules") • More grass on fields • Put $ to good use • Indoor soccer dome • Soccer is critical to the character and integration of the community • Just don't raise taxes to do this As mentioned previously, the symposium was held the evening of Wednesday, April 26th at the A.L. Stanback Middle School. Rick Kennedy, a member of the Orange County School Board whose interest and preliminary research helped lead to the establishment of the task force, moderated the program. Opening remarks were presented by the following elected officials, who spoke about how they got involved with this effort: Jim Ward, Chapel Hill Town Council Diana McDuffee, Carrboro Board of Aldermen Mark Sheridan, Hillsborough Board of Commissioners Barry Jacobs, Orange County Board of Commissioners Other elected officials in attendance at the symposium included Commissioner Moses Carey, Commissioner Steve Halkiotis, and Carrboro Alderman Jacquie Gist.