This upcoming fall for the Star Valley football team is shaping up to be another memorable one as they have been approved to travel to Alaska in late August for the first of a home and home against the high school in Soldatna.
Coach McKay Young address the Board of Trustees for Lincoln County School District #2 with a presentation during last week’s regular meeting and detailed the needs and details of the proposed trip.
“They reached out to us,” he said of Soldatna. They’ve won the last three state championships in Alaska and this would be a home and home. They are the [#1] team in Alaska and we’ve been named the top team in Wyoming six of the last eight seasons so it’s a good match.”
Detailing the costs of the trip, the team would be bussed by those in Soldatna and the Braves would sleep in the gym.
“They offered to stay at their place,” Young continued. “So there’s no need to transport sleeping gear. ”
A day of exploration would be built into the schedule where the team would visit Kenei Fjords National Park. Young noted that historically the teams would take a varsity and junior varsity team, roughly 65 players. There would be a pod system for supervision. Young and other coaches have been part of an annual spring break trip to Europe for students and added that a pod system for supervision would be in place.
The team would travel on either August 26 or 27 with the game scheduled for August 29. The team would be back in Star Valley by August 30.
• Costs
Players would fundraise for their plane tickets with other expenses covered by other fundraisers already in place by the football program. Airplane tickets are anticipated to cost approximately $600 each.
“There would be no additional taxpayer expenses above and beyond an away trip to a location such as Riverton,” Young added. The team would be bussed to Salt Lake City for the flight and then bussed back. These mileage costs are reimbursed through the state.”
“This is an incredible, exciting opportunity to educate the whole child,” board members noted. “We have confidence in Coach Young to lead our program and have an effective supervision plan and execute a fundraising plan as not to use tax payer dollars.”
• A Great White Pre-season
After a game in Soldatna in Zero Week, the Braves are scheduled to play in Pocatello on the campus of Idaho State University against Raymond High School out of Alberta, Canada.
