CCISD shows details for proposed sports and band projects

By LYNETTE SOWELL 

Cove Leader-Press 

Roughly 20 percent of the funds for the May 4 bond proposal would be dedicated to Copperas Cove High School’s athletic programs. 

At a total proposed cost of $34.4 million, it is roughly 20 percent of the entire bond. 

More than 900 students at CCHS use the district’s athletic facilities for both physical education and the competitive sports programs.

What is called the “Health/Physical Education/Wellness Facility Relocation” segment of the proposed bond expenses will address tennis, soccer, softball, baseball and practice fields for those sports.

If the measure passes, the school’s tennis, soccer, baseball, softball, and football programs will have some new facilities. 

Currently, there are no dressing rooms, restrooms, or storage for the tennis program, save for a small closet space that is used by students for dressing when needed. There are presently eight courts, four built in 1999 and four in 2001. The last time dollars were spent on the tennis courts was 2012, when covers were added to the courts. 

The tennis courts and field house will be relocated to another location that is more accessible for all students. They would be located in what’s now an empty field across from the entrance of Lea Ledger Auditorium.

The district’s soccer program would see new soccer practice field and dressing areas. Right now there is no dressing area for the program. The current fields used are grass fields that are smaller than regulation size. Home games and most away games are played on artificial turf, so the project also includes an artificial turf field for soccer. The district spends about $8,000 annually to maintain the practice fields, not including watering or maintenance staff hours.

The softball program would get a new field plus batting cages, with the new fields for softball and baseball being relocated to the front of the high school property. The current field is located at the back of the school property and visitors must pass through the parking lot near the gym and athletic annex. The cost for field maintenance is $15,000 annually for the softball and baseball field grass, not including maintenance staff hours. When the city is under water restrictions, these fields can’t be watered. Also, there are drainage issues with the field when it rains. For the month of January, the teams couldn’t practice due to the drainage issues from the rain.

The proposal includes parking for both the baseball and softball fields. The outdoor fields for all programs at the high school use 12 million gallons of water per year.

A new 5,000-square-foot dressing and storage area would be built, to include lockers, restrooms, and showers. 

All grass practice fields at the high school would have artificial turf installed that costs less to maintain than grass, and also means the fields can be accessed year round regardless of the weather. 

Altogether, the district projects it could save $163,000 annually where maintenance costs and staffing are concerned, where the sports fields are concerned. 

The current larger practice field, shown on the map as 160-feet by 360-feet, will have a 100,000-square foot pavilion installed for coverage. This will not be an air-conditioned facility, but simply a cover that would allow for play in spite of inclement weather.

Expanding the band hall would increase the space by 8,000 square feet, which would include a second band hall. The current band hall does not have space for instrument storage, with 232 lockers for 482 instruments. The top section is completely full and other instruments are kept on the main floor, as an overflow space. Percussion storage space takes up classroom teaching space. Instrument storage lockers are broken.

The current breakout practice rooms are too small for sections of the band to rehearse. Currently, there are four practice rooms. The expansion would make room for eight larger practice rooms. 

Also the band directors must end class early to put instruments away for the color guard to lay out the mat for its practice. Likewise, the color guard must end class early to clean up for the next band practice. According to the district, this cuts into instructional and practice time. The current band room has only room enough for one band class at a time. 

The proposed field renovations also make room for an outdoor marching area for the band, which means the parking lot would not be taken or blocked off by marching time.

The district projects that the band will have 250 students in fall 2024.