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BARNESVILLE -- Kyle Burkhart, Barnesville resident, parent and behavior specialist at Switzerland of Ohio Local School District, has started a petition to establish a school-affiliated soccer program for Barnesville youth.
Burkhart said that he had been working on this project for a few weeks and started the project by creating a Facebook group and a petition to gauge interest.
"I have gotten a lot of community support," he said.
The petition had 217 signatures as of Tuesday morning and continues to grow.
"I didn't have a goal in mind but wanted to see the interest and support I could generate to give to school administration," Burkhart said.
He said that Barnesville Superintendent Micah Fuchs has been supportive of the project and Fuchs plans to discuss the project at an upcoming athletic board meeting.
Burkhart said that some local organizations offer soccer programs for younger children, but high schoolers face limited options.
"My children are young and both play at Capstone Soccer Complex and really enjoy it. Capstone has a fantastic program and I am thankful that my children can play there, but the problem arises once they reach high school," he said.
"I work in Monroe County, and due to Monroe Central having soccer and Switzerland of Ohio being two districts, students at the other high schools are able to play soccer for Monroe Central. With Belmont County all being separate districts, that is not an option even though we have schools in Belmont County that have high school soccer programs," Burkhart explained.
Burkhart said that starting a soccer program would benefit Barnesville youth.
He wrote in the petition: "Barnesville is a vibrant community with numerous athletic programs available, but unfortunately, we currently lack an organized soccer program within our schools. This absence denies our children the chance to participate in an inclusive team sport that promotes physical fitness, teamwork, discipline and personal growth."
Burkhart also hopes that a high school soccer program will help students get accepted into colleges and even earn scholarships for their athletic achievements. He also noted that research shows that participation in sports can improve students' concentration levels and time management skills, improving their academic performance.
Burkhart said he is still working out some of the details for the program.
"At this point, I do not know who the coach would be. I do know there are individuals with experience in the valley due to programs in other school districts. As far as the field, that is still a work in progress as well. There are options around the Barnesville area that could definitely be used," Burkhart said.
He hopes to fund the soccer program through fundraisers and a boosters club so that the funding for the program would not be completely at the school district's expense.
Burkhart plans to continue working with local organizations, parents and school administration to work out the details and bring a soccer program to Barnesville.
Burkhart's petition can be found on change.org by searching "Barnesville soccer." Burkhart said that anyone can sign the petition, not just Barnesville residents with children at Barnesville Schools. More information and updates on the project can be found on the "Barnesville Area Soccer Interest" Facebook group.