HomeMy WebLinkAboutSports complex Public Comment from Steve Holmgren 3-6-14From:Steven Holmgren
To:Agenda
Subject:multi-use Sports Park
Date:Thursday, March 06, 2014 10:34:01 AM
To the City Commission:
Opportunities arise, on occasion, whereby a group of individuals canhave a fundamental, long-term, and positive impact on a community. TheCity Commission is going to be given this opportunity in the nearfuture. As a new father in the fall of 1998 I could not have imaginedhow much athletics, in particular soccer, would become an integral partof my family's life. Now both of my boys play soccer (year around) andI participate every summer in the Bozeman Adult Recreational Soccer League.
As a result of my kids interest in soccer I find myself traveling, bothwithin the state of Montana as well as regionally, in order to watchthem play. As I visit various communities I have seen the full spectrumof facilities, the good, the bad and the ugly. When I visit top-notchfacilities it is clear that the local folks are extremely proud of theirfacility and that this space is heavily used by local teams and to hostregional competitions. The City Council has the chance to enhance thequality of our community by developing a regionally recognized sportspark and I strongly recommend that you support this endeavor.
Some key factors that should be considered:
1. Active Youth!- We want our youth to be physically active and to be engaged in teamsports as the positive impacts on them are numerous and substantial:physical development, mental/conceptual development includingperseverance, determination, character and integrity, as well as socialdevelopment including learning how to cooperate and work as a team. Inorder to be able to do this we must have adequate facilities!
- The proposed sports park will not only fulfill the growing needs forsoccer fields, it is also being built as a multi-use facility. Thus itwill be available to support the rapidly growing lacrosse community intown as well as other athletic programs. In addition it will be tiedinto the wider trail system of Bozeman for bikers, hikers, joggers, etc.to enjoy.
- Being able to host major tournaments will allow for our kids to beexposed to high levels of play on the field. This will help them todevelop into better players and will make the wider region aware of thehigh level of support that we provide for our area youth!
2. Financial Benefits- The proposed facility would allow for us to host major tournaments. Ihappily drive to Jackson Hole every fall for a soccer tournament thatattracts 100+ teams. I greatly enjoy watching my kids play soccer insuch a beautiful setting and I don't regret spending the time or moneythat this trip entails. Clearly this is an economic positive for theJackson Hole community (consider 100 teams times 10 - 15 players perteam + parents, siblings, coaches). Bozeman is an equally beautifullocation and would be very attractive to teams in our region (Montana,Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, etc.), if we had the ability to host majortournaments. Not only will this be good for our youth, it also
represents an opportunity to support our local business community in asignificant way.
In closing I hope that you will support this proposal as it representsan exciting opportunity for our kids and for the wider Bozeman community.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Steve Holmgren