The Greene County School Board recently gave tentative approval to start a new sport next spring.

The Board voted unanimously, 7 to 0, to start organized soccer in the spring of 2018. Superintendent Tim Christensen says the district currently shares boys and girls soccer with Boone, but there’s been increased conversations about the district starting its own soccer program. At last week’s meeting, over 60 people were in attendance and supported the growing sport. Carl Behne represented the soccer parents and said they have currently have 56 players in their youth soccer program and there’s another 61 involved in the Jefferson Parks and Recreation program.

Following the Board’s decision to go ahead with soccer, the one caveat is that starting up the program and the annual costs must all work within the general fund budget. The district is already facing an over $330,000 shortfall in the general fund, with the state is allowing a 101-percent budget guarantee going into next school year. Christensen explains the next step in the process.

“There’s going to be a committee of two (school) board members Steve Fisher and Teresa Hagan, and also Activities Director (Dean Lansman) will meet with a committee of three representing the soccer group. But that committee is charged to meet here before the May meeting to look at putting together a finalized plan for what this could look like, as well as financially how this will look like.”

The initial start up cost, as presented at the meeting, was between $20,000 and $24,000, consisting of goal posts, uniforms, soccer balls and other miscellaneous items. Annual costs include referees, coaches, transportation and entry fees.

The soccer group felt they could fundraise to make up a majority of the start up costs, a practice football field already has regulation goals that can be used and a few of the adults said they would volunteer their time to be coaches.

The proposal will be looked at next month.