KEARNEY — To kick off the modernization of their current athletic facilities, Kearney Catholic High School held a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 16.
“The groundbreaking ceremony is a significant milestone in the expansion and development of the school’s athletic facilities. The new Kearney Catholic Activities Complex is set to become a great facility that will benefit students, athletes, and the Kearney community as a whole,” per the Kearney Catholic High School (KCHS) Foundation.
Matthew Rogers, KCHS Principal, said that the upgrades to Miles Field and the athletic complex are a long-time coming, with talk about renovations going back to the 1980s.
“Extracurricular activities are an integral part of education and teaches are students valuable life lessons of teamwork, discipline, perseverance and leadership,” Rogers said, “Todays groundbreaking is a tangible expression to fostering not only academic excellence, but also the physical and spiritual development of our students.”
Stan Clouse, Kearney Mayor, spoke at the groundbreaking and said he is proud of everything the Kearney Catholic community does for the City of Kearney.
Father Joe Hannappel offered a prayer before blessing the ground ahead of the groundbreaking, which was conducted by students, staff and administrative members.
After the groundbreaking, Sara Homan, KCHS Foundation Director of Advancement, ask for everyone in attendance to think back on their memories of the facility.
Homan said while the upgrades are necessary, what has been truly important is the community that had been forged over the years in the facility and KCHS.
To conclude the event, members of the KCHS band’s drumline lead students and community members in one final lap of the dirt track before the renovations start.
Father Hannappel told the students, when they return next fall, there will be a new facility for them to enjoy.
Facility Upgrades
“While we are proud of all our KCHS alumni have accomplished over the years with less-than-ideal conditions, it is not giving our students, fans and visitors the experience they deserve,” the KCHS Foundation stated.
Among other needs, there are no permanent restrooms at the football field and portable toilets cannot adequately accommodate the elderly or handicapped.
Fans with disabilities also struggle to access the current bleachers. The visiting side bleachers are also small and lack restrooms or a concession stand.
Lighting around the field is limited and is a concern as it becomes darker at game time. A recent upgrade of the lighting several years ago was helpful, but the surrounding gate and parking lot area remain generally dark.
The current visitor locker rooms are in the basement of the original gymnasium; they are not ADA compliant and haven’t been updated in 60 years, according to the KCHS Foundation.
The track is a gravel path which is unusable for track meets. “Our students get limited practice on the site and then are forced to go to other facilities at late hours to complete their event preparation,” the KCHS Foundation stated.
Due to the state of the full field and track, KCHS has been unable to host soccer and track events and has missed out on hosting 18 to 23 home games or meets a year. That number doesn’t account for junior varsity, middle school, or band events.
In interviews with parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty, administrators and students, the athletic complex was mentioned more than any other issue regarding KCHS facilities.
There was a push to modernize the facilities that was gaining momentum in 2019-2020 but was sidelined due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, the KCHS Foundation, KCHS administration, under the guidance of the consulting firm, Partners In Mission, lead a strategic planning process involving school leadership, staff, clergy, school families and the communities.
The athletics complex was identified as a major priority in the KCHS strategic survey, as it is an important, “front door,” for the community, the KCHS Foundation stated.
Having to access external facilities for track and safety concerns reignited the conversation for modernization in late 2022, early 2023.
The KCHS Foundation said that initial donor conversations indicated that they did not want “band-aid or half fixes,” to the outdoor facilities.
The ideal facilities that KCHS envisions include modern restroom facilities, bleachers to accommodate 1,000-1,500 fans, an eight-lane track, artificial turf on the football field, equipment storage, a machine shed under church property, concession stand, ADA accessible facilities and a field training room.
The KCHS goals for the facility are to improve opportunities for students to prepare for and excel in athletics, enhance the experience and safety of spectators and participants and build on the existing reputation as a quality educational institution, stated the KCHS Foundation.
The goals for the community use of the space in the future includes a welcoming and bureaucratic-free approach to making the space available to community organizations and county schools that require turf and track access.
Homan said they are excited not only to elevate the experience for KCHS but are committed to opening the space up for area schools and the community to use.
