The Norris District held a press conference this morning to showcase its plan for nearly $2 million in campus improvements focused on athletics facilities.

A lead donation of $30,0000 was presented by Norris Athletic Boosters officers Jim Kruger and Dave Bryant to the district.

The campaign, dubbed “The Creation of Domination” has a dedicated website at http://www.titansfacilitiesfund.com/ and is the brainchild of the Board of Education’s ad hoc facilities committee.  The site includes click-to-give capability where patrons can contribute online to the drive.

The plan includes:

• Fitness center expansion and renovation

• Artificial turf for the football field / soccer pitch

• Baseball diamond

• Tennis courts

Superintendent Dr. John Skretta and Athletic Director Greg Hardin were joined by program coaches who described the need for Norris to develop these facilities to get on par with competitors in cohort conferences and throughout Class B districts in the state.  Coach Jim Jacobsen emphasized how player safety will be positively impacted with these facilities in strength training and turf, and Coach Arnold Talero described how his district champion soccer team is able to be a more competitive, sharper unit when playing on the uniform surface turf provides.  Baseball Coach Jason Cullison emphasized the desire for the team to host competition on campus, and Tennis Coach Rick Koenig described how the current two-court limitations of the Hickman city park constrain his ability to develop younger talent and have a larger squad.

The district developed the plan after the Board of Education conducted comparability studies and has identified the plan priorities based on student use and areas of greatest need.

The fitness center construction is already underway through contingency dollars remaining in the bond fund, but because the space being renovated in the northeast area of the high school is nearly four times larger than the current undersized are off the south HS gym, the district will rely on donors to provide the money needed for new equipment.

Additional information about the drive can be obtained at www.titansfacilitiesfund.com or by contacting the High School office at 402-791-0010 or the district office at 402-791-0000.