Glasgow School Board Receives Eye-Opening View Of High School Stadium Complex

In their first regular session since school started, the Glasgow School Board met on Sept. 14 to view the Glasgow High School stadium complex in addition to their regular school board business. With athletic director Brenner Flaten and Norm Girard leading the tour, members of the school board, including superintendent Wade Sundby, were able to see first hand the conditions of both the football and track field.

According to Flaten, the football field is starting to green up due to fertilizer and water application, however the green should not fool anyone when determining the condition of the field. "Obviously we are supposed to have a nice soft crown on the football field. I always joke that we kind of have three crowns," stated Flaten. He explained when players are out playing or when the officials are out at the games, it's a lot more noticeable, "When you look across and you might see the grounds hit them here or whatever, you should be able to see everyone even across the field and that's not the case."

He recognizes that football is a contact sport but he believes there have been situations in the past 20 years where there have been out-of-season injuries because of the football field. He also stated the field is embarrassing when visiting teams arrive, providing the example when the Scotties hosted Huntley Project Sept. 2, they were impressed with the grandstands and the outside however once they got inside they were less than impressed with the conditions of the field. Flaten has taken the time to assure other coaches the school wants to do something about the conditions and they have goals in mind on what they want to do. "The field is 40 years old but it's been bad for 20 years and part of the problem with it being the condition that it's in it was built on gumbo and basically in a creek with fill and everything else, I think that's a lot to do with it," explained Flaten. He also stated because of the ground, it has damaged the water and how the field is hydrated. He believes a lot of the water issues on the football field over the years have helped deteriorate the track over the years.

After reviewing the football field, Girard provided an explanation on the condition of the track, showing those in attendance the various band-aid fixes that have occurred over the years as well as the liabilities to runners while running on the various lanes. For example, on lane one, if you are a sprinter, there is a six-inch dip when you come into position. "You can see that how it sags in. It's like a sinkhole on lane one," explained Flaten. "We got some on the outside lanes too," replied Girard.

Girard also explained the thickness of the track, which was put down sometime in the 90s, with the estimate being 1995 or 1996 and it's only been completely refinished one time. "When the triple jump jumpers come down and hit. There is glue on this but it's crystallized in that glue, crystalizing it breaks loose. So the triple jumpers add about six inches onto their fall, when they come down, because the whole mat moves with them. We've spread those mats out....out on top of this and they move too, so you've got two different things sliding," he stated. Previous Track Field head coach Tim Phillips reiterated the effects on the runners stating, "You can't really run two hard days on the track in a row and not expect some shin splits off this because it's so hard."

During the tour, board member Ryan Fast asked how close the school is to not being able hold tournaments anymore as a result of the conditions of the field. Flaten explained the school is already hearing complaints, specifically about the Top 10 track meet stating "Sidney's not real crazy about our Top 10 facility. I know Glendive doesn't really come that often and hasn't in awhile. They've always had issues with some of our track and the condition that is in and now I expect that to be even louder now that they have a lot nicer facility."

Board member Angie Page brought up what the impacts of what a worst case scenario would look like explaining not wanting the community to lose dollars since Glasgow hosts 10 to 12 track meets a year stating, "We bring in money to the community with that but we also don't want our student athletes to lose their opportunity and that's very near to what we're watching happen. What we're kind of allowing to happen....aside from all of the band-aids that you guys have put on it. And that's exactly what they are over the years. So I think that needs to be at the forefront of the discussion is that we could potentially....face a catastrophic fail of the track or of the field drainage system, whatever, and be without a facility."

Though initial discussions are currently in place in what a new complex would look like and the costs, the Glasgow Booster Club has graciously offered to pay for the professional plans to get done for what the dream is for the complex. Another point Flaten made regarding the future renovation of the field is extending the track to 10 lanes, as opposed to sticking with the current eight lanes. "We have the space to do a 10 lane track. There are a handful of facilities in Montana that are ten lane tracks."

The other hope is to be able to install artificial turf on the football field. "If we go to artificial turf, obviously don't have to mow, don't have to water, don't have to paint all the lines. Don't have to employ people, the extra people to do that. We don't have to maintain practice fields because now we can practice every day on our game field. When you add up all of those costs attributed to all of those different branches, then spread that over 15 years now, it's probably more of a break even and then a beautiful field on top of it for the same amount of costs," explained Flaten for his desire to have artificial turf on the football field. He further explained, "If you were able to go to artificial turf football field, obviously none of that would be there because you don't have to water artificial turf football field and then hopefully by going to artificial turf with the football field, that's also obviously going to help our track."

After the tour the school board met for their regular business, which included reports from all three principals. They all reported a great start to the school year so far, even with the unexpected closure the first Thursday of the school year at Irle Elementary as a result of problems with the sewer in the building. According to Sundby, at this time the students will not have to make up the missed day. However, Sundby stressed as the school year progresses, if there becomes a snow day or something else unexpected happens that results in a school closure, then the kindergarten through grade five students may have to make up a day before the school year ends.

Sundby also mentioned during the meeting the Glasgow Schools received an upgrade on their website and student portal. He welcomes everyone in the community to take a look at the new upgrade as well as download the new Glasgow Scotties app, which is available through Android and Apple.

The website can be found at https://www.glasgow.k12.mt.us/ and the app can be located by searching "Glasgow Public Schools" in the app store or Play store.

The next scheduled Glasgow School Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 12, at Glasgow Middle School. The meeting will start at the Glasgow Middle School Scottie Field with the meeting following.