Russellville school board hears proposal for football program

Proponents point to success and growth of Blair Oaks

A mock football game program was shown to members of the Russellville school board during a presentation on the future of football at the Cole County School.
A mock football game program was shown to members of the Russellville school board during a presentation on the future of football at the Cole County School.

RUSSELLVILLE - Could 2018 see Indian football on Russellville High School's newly completed track and field complex?

A group of interested residents presented their research along with a formal letter requesting the sport be added to the school activities at the regular board meeting recently.

"Football is a sport that brings a community together like few things can," the letter said. "The Cole R-1 Russellville School District needs a football program."

Presenters Zach Hacket, Colin Steenbergen and Lance Boyd suggested a football program could help increase student enrollment and revenue, and would benefit other school programs like music.

Since the Jefferson City School District has no plans for the immediate future to add a second high school and football team, the presenters suggested there's opportunity.

"This leaves a lot of student-athletes in the Jefferson City area who cannot play football, due to limited roster spots available on the Jefferson City team," the letter said. "One local school, Blair Oaks, has taken advantage of the opportunity to provide football near Jefferson City. Their school has grown tremendously as football's popularity has grown, as parents who work in Jefferson City have taken advantage of the opportunity to move to a nearby school district that offers football.

"Russellville has the unique opportunity to capitalize in the same way."

The trio suggested funding for football would come from external sources, such as fundraisers and boosters. They estimated the initial cost of getting a team going would be $15,000 to $20,000. As the program grew, additional items like locker rooms or training aids could be added.

"Football would be an investment that could potentially pay off in more revenue for the school than the sport costs itself," the letter said.

The proposed program would begin the fall of 2018 with a seventh- and eighth-grade team and then grow each year, adding varsity by 2021.

"Football could play a large role in rallying the community and breathing some life into the town of Russellville," the letter said. "This would increase school pride, and potentially make real estate within the school district more appealing.

"The lights and location for a football program are already in place, now it's just a matter of taking the next logical step and playing the game."

The football program proposal will be discussed again at the April board meeting.

In other business, the board:

•Set summer school for 8 a.m.-3 p.m. June 1-18.

•Discussed the benefits from the Missouri Foundation for Health grant awarded to Pathways. Russellville was selected along with Boys and Girls Town and the Jefferson City Public Schools to receive 20 hours of weekly counseling support services for three years serving students in grades K-12. Additionally, three school staff will receive two days of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills training and the entire staff will receive trauma training.

•Hired Perry Gorrell as superintendent for the upcoming school year, replacing Jerry Hobbs who is retiring this summer after seven years at Russellville. Gorrell currently is superintendent at Cole Camp School District.

•Accepted a letter of retirement from Doug Hoover and letters of resignation from Elizabeth Strutton, Shelly Korte and Jason Twenter.

•Hired Nathan Gargus as band director for the next school year.