After two years and overcoming a number of challenges, the Carlisle Soccer Club is poised to take its program to the next level, and the foundation of that effort is a major capital campaign to improve its facilities. The Club is starting a fundraising drive with a goal of more than $250,000.

“We’ve been our own organization for two full years now, and we’ve managed to get our feet under us and get the program to this level with virtually no fundraising,” says Mark True, Club president. “We’ve relied on registration fees to rent land, buy seed and fertilizer and gas for the well pump motor. We’ve borrowed lawn mowers, used volunteer labor to breathe life into a long-retired motor and prayed for rain through a very dry winter.

“Our players, their parents, the coaches and our board realize that we have accomplished a lot with the resources we have, but to get to where we want to be, we’re going to have to improve dramatically.”

The improvements include faster development of turf, an in-ground sprinkler system, new pump motor, installation of electricity, concession stand and storage facilities. The club has available funds for a new lawn mower in the spring, and a grant has been requested for a larger, newer mower. Plans call for installing an underground line to water to the irrigator in the spring.

“The grass has been the biggest problem for us because our irrigator is very labor intensive and the soil doesn’t hold water well,” says True. “We hope to improve that situation with the new supply lines in the spring, but that’s just a temporary fix. It won’t get the grass as thick we’d like it, especially since we’re practicing on the same fields.”

The club is looking into a number of alternatives including prohibiting practicing on the fields, creating a practice-only area, terra seeding and installing sod. Terra seeding and sod both require an automatic sprinkler system. A new electric pump motor and controller is needed to drive the sprinkler system. Three-phase electrical service would need to be installed at the site to run the motor.

“Clearly, we’re at the point where the next purchase is going to be a big one,” says Paul Gruber, vice president and director of coaching. “We’re helping our coaches become the best-trained coaches in central Iowa, but it won’t do any good if we don’t have an adequate field to play on, and next step to getting our grass growing well will take a major investment.”

The Club’s board of directors met last month to develop a strategic purchasing plan that covers the critical items for further development of the complex, and currently have outstanding grant requests totaling more than $88,000 according to Marci Haack, director of fundraising for the Club. The list of needed items includes two mowers, goals and nets, underground supply lines, terra seeding or sod, in-ground irrigation system, electric well pump motor, practice goals and a building for storage and concessions.

“We know this isn’t going to happen right away,” says Haack, “but we’re working hard to identify available grants and doing our best to tell our story so that we can get this all accomplished in the next five years.”

The Club is also seeking estimates on a number of pieces to the list. In some cases, portions may be donated and in other cases, estimates are difficult to get pinned down without specific plans…plans that require other pieces be put into place first.

“It’s a very big project, be we know we need to get moving because we’re growing fast, says True. “The community has embraced soccer, as evident in the number of volunteers who have stepped forward to help us get this far. If we’re going to meet our future needs, we’re going to need to find some additional funds.”

The Club has prioritized the items, created budget estimates and will purchase them as funds become available, either through corporate and individual donations or from grant distribution.

• Mowers (2) - $5,000 - $24,000
• U8 & U10 goals - $4,000
• Underground supply lines $1,200
• Terra seeding or sod $90,000
• In-ground irrigation system $50,000
• Additional goals and nets $10,500
• U8, U10, U12 and U19 pactice goals $6,000
• 36 x 24 ft. storage building/concession stand $60,000

For more information, contact Mark True, Club president or Marci Haack, fundraising director.