July 11, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

SJO soccer to have new home in 2023, while issues arise about current field maintenance

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School soccer team is set to have a new home field for the 2023 season.


SJO Superintendent Brian Brooks said the school’s construction plan calls for field turf to be installed on the current football field next summer, allowing football and soccer to share the field.


“Both football and soccer can play there safely,” he said.


The district will also create a practice field that both soccer and football can use.


Currently, the district has an intergovernmental agreement with the village of St. Joseph, allowing them to play at Woodard Sports Complex.


SJO Athletic Director Justin Franzen said the district is pleased with the agreement.


“We are very happy that village allows us a place to practice and play,” he said. “The agreement stretches all the way back to 2009 when SJO implemented soccer, and we have a great partnership with the village and want to keep that great partnership moving forward.”


On Tuesday, parents of SJO soccer players attended a village board meeting and said the village is not upholding their end of the agreement with maintenance.


Jim Page, speaking on behalf of the parents, said a spontaneous hot air balloon event held at the park last Sunday night caused damage to the field by leaving tire tracks from vehicles and golf carts.


Page described the event, which was sanctioned by the mayor, as “disrespectful and thoughtless.”


The intergovernmental agreement says no other organization will use the field during the pre-approved scheduled soccer season. The season includes practices, games, tournaments, clinics and other special events. The agreement, however, does state that during unscheduled activities, the village can use the field as long as they respect the conditions of the field.


Page said the parents feel the field is not being maintained and that the village is “apathetic” to the high school soccer program.


St. Joseph Public Works Superintendent Mike Peters said the school district has not communicated when the team is practicing or when the season starts and if they knew that they would water the field.


The intergovernmental agreement states the school district must provide a written general schedule of games and practice times 30 days prior to their playing seasons. Once the village reviews the schedule, the program will then have exclusive use of the field for all the times listed on the schedule.


Page said the parents want a professional hired to maintain the field because he said the village workers “have no idea what you are doing.”


“The school is not without blame,” Page said. “They have dropped the ball and should be over here saying, ‘Hey, fix the field.’”


The intergovernmental agreement calls for the village to provide “manpower and some resources to construct and maintain sports facilities and parks.”


The high school provides the personnel to staff, organize, plan and administer the program. The district also agrees to help offset the cost of the facility maintenance, repairs, electricity and any other costs associated with facility use. The agreement also said the village will maintain, “as available resources allow all turf areas on the field to include mowing, weed control, fertilizing, herbicide spraying and irrigation where available.”


The agreement goes on to state that the village and the high school know the field needs a comprehensive maintenance program and the village provides certain services that are within their budget and staffing. The high school agreed to supplement maintenance with either materials, funding, or other resources.

Franzen said he, the village and coaches keep a good eye on the field both during the season and in the offseason.“We all work together to continuously improve conditions each year,” Franzen said. “I know this is obvious, but we need a lot of rain right now, and I hope we get it soon so that conditions improve for soccer this fall. We are excited to start soccer season.”


The soccer fall kick-off is set for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19 at the St. Joseph Community Park.


 Brooks said the high school is happy with the current agreement with the village.

“We appreciate that the village has been open to allowing our soccer program a place to practice and play since the year we started soccer back in 2009,” he said. “We are very thankful for their support of our soccer program.”

Banner
Related Posts

Landers to be honored by village

January 25, 2022

January 25, 2022

Aaron Landers dedicated his life to serving others. For 24 years, Landers served as a University of Illinois Police Officer...

Philo Exchange Bank to build permanent location in St. Joseph

June 27, 2022

June 27, 2022

Philo Exchange Bank is pleased to announce 802 E. Warren Street as the building site of their permanent St. Joseph,...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, March 26, 2024

March 26, 2024

March 26, 2024

Pickleball and Tennis are here tonight. PB nets got damaged over the winter. PB Is asking where they see PB...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Aug. 24, 2021

August 24, 2021

August 24, 2021

I am here at village board. There are four people in the audience. The lawyer and Mr. Sennert doing IT....

Kaiser, Albrecht spark latest win by SJO volleyball

September 17, 2019

September 17, 2019

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School volleyball team kept right on rolling Monday night after placing second this past Saturday at...

5 Questions with ASHER PRUEMER

March 1, 2024

March 1, 2024

How would you describe your team? I would say that this is very team-oriented and is one that is always...

5 Question friday

August 26, 2022

August 26, 2022

Each Friday we will ask some SJO athletes five questions. Up first, junior football player Ethan McElroy. What made you...

5 questions with Republican caucus candidate Steven Peters

December 2, 2024

December 2, 2024

1. What made you want to run? I have been a member of this exceptional community for the past 20...

Public Statement from Dan Vogelsang

December 23, 2019

December 23, 2019

It was with a heavy heart that I submitted my resignation to the Saint Joseph-Ogden High School Board of Education...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, May 9, 2023

May 9, 2023

May 9, 2023

I am here so you don’t have to be. They are swearing in the board members today. #newbutold Jeff Van...

Process for filling vacant trustee position up to the mayor

September 11, 2023

September 11, 2023

How a vacant trustee position is filled is up to the mayor’s discretion, said Mayor Tami Fruhling-Voges. Fruhling-Voges had seven...

Strong bond motivates Spartans Cross Country

November 9, 2019

November 9, 2019

Ally Monk wants people to know there is more to the St. Joseph-Ogden Cross Country program than trophies.  The SJO...

Live Blog April 13, 2021

April 13, 2021

April 13, 2021

They are supposed to discuss food trucks. #MAKEITHAPPEN And give an update on the village administrator. Doing investments. Doing bills....

Born to dance: Hess takes passion with her to SIUE

May 30, 2019

May 30, 2019

Kaitlyn Hess has danced nearly all of her life. The recent St. Joseph-Ogden High School graduate will continue to do...

Live at Village Board, March 12, 2024

March 12, 2024

March 12, 2024

My internet here wasn’t working but we are in business now. I am at village board with approximately 20 of...

Comments
Leave a Reply