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By Jarrod Buxton

Nate Jones

And Justin Kralj

Saegertown High School

SHS has a new house. Have you been there yet? Have you seen it? If the answer is no, then maybe you should have come to the last home football game against Conneaut Valley, because the new Field House at Canon Memorial Field is open for business.

The field house was built from funds raised by the Community Athletic Project. During last school year, many Saegertown High School students, faculty members, parents, coaches, local business people, office staff and the custodial staff have all contributed to the construction of the field house.

Randy Deemer, principal at SHS, explained, “The project was born about 11 years ago, a long time before I came to SHS, but the actual construction was started about two years ago.” SHS eighth-grade social studies teacher, Linda Fink, has been involved with the project from its inception. She said the Panther Sports Committee had a vision of a field house that would make the community proud. At that time, the SHS Panthers were playing at the field downtown where the soccer team currently plays. Due to safety issues, it was decided that a new field should be constructed on the SHS campus.

A board was formed, and the fundraising began for what came to be known as the Community Athletic Project. Current board members include Mrs. Fink, Jerry Nowakowski, Dick and Pauline Baker (both former SHS staff members), Denise and Jeff Gable (devoted former SHS band parents), Terry Copeland (retired school board member), Deemer, and Greg Rademacher (current school board member and project facilitator).

According to Deemer, “A lot of credit goes to the students who worked on the field house. The students at SHS have helped build the lockers, put trim around the doors, put up shower walls, and weld the benches that are in the locker area.” When Deemer was asked, “Are you happy with the outcome so far?” his reply was, “Yes, I am. It has a nice look to it. Everything works. It is a home for the athletes. The coaches and students all like it.”

He also stated that the project is not quite finished. “There is more work to be done,” he said. Mrs. Fink added that the Panther Sports Committee will continue its work as long as work remains. “We still have the restrooms, the band concession stand and landscaping (to complete),” she said. She also explained that the committee would like to establish athletic scholarships sometime in the future as well.

SHS industrial arts teachers Jeff Patrick and Ron Atwell have spent many hours working on the project. Deemer said he was most appreciative of their efforts to mobilize student workers and make sure they did a great job. “Without the expertise of Mr. Patrick and Mr. Atwell, the students would never have been able to be as involved as they have been,” said Deemer.

Saegertown football Head Coach Ken Achenbach is very excited about the field house. “(It) will be a tremendous boost, not only to the football program, but to all of Saegertown Junior-Senior High School athletes. I love the fact that there is a weight room area. It has the potential to be a first-rate facility.”