Wappingers Central School District

Question from Jennifer Kozak

Topic: Wappingers Indians American  Youth Football Organization

"Hello, I would like to propose this as an agenda item for the September 11th meeting and ask for a response from the BOE. Our team will be showing up to discuss this matter. Our football organization is, as we speak,  (creating  the) future football team for Ketcham High School.  We were all extremely disappointed to find out that even after the beautiful turf field was installed at the high school, that we are not permitted to play our home games there. Our team plays at the Wappingers Junior High School field full of goose excrement, dog excrement, and holes. The coaches and board who work so hard voluntarily to run our organization, spending what would definitely be considered a 2nd full time job supporting this league, have to go out at 7AM on Sunday mornings to paint lines on our football field so we can host games on top of all they do. This is such an embarrassment to Wappingers, our organization, and ultimately our community. We compete against Putnam and Westchester teams, all able to play on their home high school fields as a sense of (support,pride), and unity. The decision to not allow our children to play on their home high school field where they all (asipire) to be one day as high schoolers (shows) a lack of pride and support across the football and school community. Before the field was redone, we understood that the wear on the high school field by allowing us to use it would be impossible to upkeep. Now (with out tax payer) dollars, our Wappingers High schools have beautiful fields that should be open to the children that are their future. We are not asking for much. We want to represent our great town and show the teams we play that our community cares as much about us as yours do. (Lets) show our surrounding communities some Wappingers Pride and lift this organization up. The children and organization of volunteers work tirelessly to make football great. Nothing would make them happier than to represent their town and team on the beautiful new field. Thank you for your consideration of this very reasonable request.”