The numbers of the Star Valley wrestling program have been traditionally high and strong This past school year represented 27 years in the “new” high school and those strong and large numbers combined with the addition of girls wrestling have pushed the facilities to a point where coaches and athletes struggle to get in timely practices and techniques. As a result, the Lincoln County School District (LCSD) No. 2 board had approved an expanded upper floor on the east side of SVHS. The new space would have been above the current wrestling room and connected to the indoor track overlooking the main SVHS gymnasium floor.
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However, when those bids came in for the work, they also coincided with several volatile economic factors including the uncertainty of the fallout of the wave of international tariffs implemented by the White House. For whatever reason, the estimated cost of the upgrade, approximately $1 million, saw bids of $1.7 and $1.9 million and the board went back to the drawing board in their most recent meetings.
“In the early days of talking about this several years ago, we anticipated that it would be in the $800,000 range and we are going to plan C now,” said LCSD No. 2 Superintendent Matt Erickson.
While the planned upgrade was to be a welcome help, it was likely not to solve the issue entirely. Now that the construction is back to the planning phase, school and district officials are looking at several different options.
“As we look at this, there are a lot of things on the table,” Erickson continued. “Drawings are being done right now which would look to add north of the auditorium at about 10,000 square feet. “We are also exploring what it would take to build on north of the locker rooms. We’re also looking at wondering is this the time for a five-year plan and is this maybe the time for a field house? We are exploring all options and we want to meet the needs of the program in the short term and in the future.”
As has been mentioned during the process of expanding facilities with SVHS and the school district in general, increased student enrollment, additional sports programs as well as more community usage have all contributed to the strain.
So for now, the area wrestlers will continue to work with what they have rather than welcoming a new addition this fall. But hopefully in the near future, the next classes of SVHS wrestling will have more space to stretch their legs.
The next LCSD No. 2 board meeting is Wednesday evening in Afton. Video of meetings can be viewed at lcsd2.org.
