Arlington County CIP Hearing, May 25, 2004 at 7:00 pm
Want to see more fields? Attend this important hearing.
Dear Coaches and Managers:
 
Please see the letter below, sent back in the spring by Doug Homer, U16 Scorpions coach and US Soccer Foundation employee.  I have not heard from anyone about attending the May 25, 2004 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) public hearing, which begins at 7:00 pm in the County Board room, 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, VA, room 307.  (703-228-3130, 703-228-4611 (TTY), Email or use the web form here: http://www.co.arlington.va.us/Scripts/feedback_form.asp?To=tcopeland@arlingtonva.us
 
Last night, the County's Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission voted 6-3 to recommend to the County Board that only $5 million of the proposed $50 million be approved for North Tract.  This would be available for the design phase only of the facility. They and other organizations will communicate their concern about the high cost of North Tract and the need to proceed more slowly.  For those soccer and aquatics people who have been involved in the development of North Tract, the two-year planning and public input process has yielded a proposal that people want to see built now. 
 
If the Arlington County Board does not hear from soccer people, who should support the construction not only of the North Tract fields, but also the proposed Washington-Lee and Greenbrier fields (all you high school supporters), County Board members will get the impression that these fields are not important to us.
 
It is important that the travel soccer community come out and support the proposed CIP.  Let the board know that their vision for Arlington is worth the investment.
 
Nancy
 
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March 29, 2004
Dear Ms. Wood:
I am writing to you to strongly endorse the ATSC's recommendation to build additional all-weather surface complexes in Arlington County. Over the past year, our team had a total of (6) matches cancelled and re-scheduled out of Arlington due to inclement weather. All of these matches were to be played in Arlington but due to the poor state of the fields and high demand, we had to travel to far away locations like Warrenton, Germantown and Baltimore to play teams that would have come to us had we been able to play on an all-weather surface that can sustain events during wet conditions.
 
As a coach and player, I have competed at almost every level and on every conceivable surface. Field Turf is an excellent alternative to muddy, uneven grounds that cannot withstand the wear and tear of multiple games. Given the quality of the carpet and the drainage itself, it has the ability to weather
almost any weather condition and still afford athletes a safe environment to compete and learn.
 
Arlington County is a prime candidate for this type of surface due to the increase in the number of youth and adult athletes who need a safe environment to play, and the rising cost of maintaining,
irrigating and providing lighting for natural grass fields that host multiple sports at any given time.
 
On a personal note, I'd like to share an interesting bit of news with you and the members of the County Board. My team has been training at Gunston Middle School's synthetic turf field since January to prepare for the spring season and several premier-level youth tournaments in our region. Over the
past three months, the team has been able to increase its speed of play and possession style due to the flat and even surface of Field Turf. I'm proud to report that we captured the 2004 DCVA Futsal Cup and finished third at the 2004 PWSI Icebreaker Tournament, a tough final loss to the state champion in our age group from Massachusetts. We are ranked 17th in the Commonwealth of Virginia and aspire to win the State Cup this fall.
 
In order to continue to advance our goals and recruit exceptional talent, we need the facilities and access to do so. Gunston has been a blessing and a wonderful addition to the sports community. Yet, one facility is a mere dent in the volume balloon that represents youth, amateur and academic demands for training and match times. We simply need more sustainable fields that can meet the demands of an ever-increasing urban sports landscape, one that is both diverse and unique given its proximity to the District and various scenic landmarks. Is this philosophy adaptable to the outcome measures to which the County Board will evaluate the allocation of capital resources to new parks and recreational projects?
 
I surely hope so as do 700 or more registered families in the Arlington Travel Soccer Club (ATSC). Their voices will soon find their way to your inboxes.
 
In closing, I hope the Sports Division will honor the request of ATSC and other sports committees to build more synthetic grass surfaces in Arlington, particularly the NORTH TRACT parcel. In the end, we'll have better facilities, happier families, and safer environments for our student-athletes to learn, play and excel.
 
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Douglas Homer
Head Coach, Arlington Scorpions, U-15 Boys

Douglas A. Homer
Director of Development & Strategic Partnerships
United States Soccer Foundation
202-872-6651 direct line
202-872-6655 fax
http://www.ussoccerfoundation.org/

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