MHS grad donates funds for soccer goals

Ashley Laurie presents Tom Bredvick, McCook Board of Education president, with a check for soccer goals at the high school. (Lorri Sughroue/McCook Gazette)

McCOOK, Neb. -- A recent McCook High School graduate is still hoping to see soccer at MHS, even it it's too late for her.

Ashley Laurie, a 2015 MHS graduate, presented to the McCook Board of Education Monday night at the regular meeting a check for $1,592.25, for soccer goals at the high school. She also included a purchase order of $1,470.30 for a set of goals and asked that the remainder be put toward establishing a soccer team at the high school. She raised the funds by selling raffle tickets this spring, with prizes coming from community businesses.

Laurie also has raised funds for soccer goals that have been placed at Elks Park on West Fifth and at McCook Elementary and McCook Junior High. She also purchased soccer nets for St. Patrick's Catholic School, where goals were already in place.

Her mother, Tamela Laurie, then spoke to the board and asked if there was a way for a soccer team to be formed at the high school.

She noted that objections she's heard against a soccer team included that it would hurt participation in the girls' tennis team and track team. But that could be offset, she said, if McCook teamed with other schools in the area, like it does with tennis and swimming. She added that Alliance and McCook were the only Class B schools with an enrollment of 300 or more that did not have soccer team.

"I know it's too late for Ashley or even my other daughter, Emily, to participate," Tamela said, but she would love to be able to cheer the Bison on in soccer as she does with other sports the high school offers.

Board member Diane Lyons suggested the programs committee could take the idea into consideration. Board President Tom Bredvick said students are surveyed annually on activities and he was in favor of anything that adds to the interest of the students.