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Re: Shins clash during rivalry match - North Kitsap Herald

penvid — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 22:36:37 -0000

It was not an "own goal", Omar Larios took the free kick towards the Viking net and it may have hit a viking head standing in the wall they made, but it came to Alex Newton and he hit it at goal (called a shot in most circles) and their goalie blocked it back at him as he was standing just a few feet from the goal line and he one touched it again into the net for the tie. Even if it had hit a viking off his head into the goal it would still be a goal not an own goal. Kingston earned that goal and Omar and Alex should be commended for their efforts. Great effort by the NK defense on it too.

Re: Letters to the Editor - North Kitsap Herald

penvid — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:05:01 -0000

Miss Poor,
NK Stadium is for all NK students and that includes KHS. When the bond was proposed NKHS was over crowded and many able and willing athletes didn't make the teams they tried out for, at one time more boys were cut from the soccer program than were kept and now through KHS many are participating that wouldn't have a chance, including NKHS students who would have been bumped by better players living in Kingston, so all benefit. But NKHS kids get the better athletic facilty just by living where they do?
I graduated from NK as did my father and three of my children and I coached a lot of games at the stadium we both love. What is the problem with sharing? I coach in many other district stadiums where multiple school logos show proudly. Kingston is not a second class community but equal and it's evolution has enhanced NKHS opportunities.
Now lights at Kingston are
important not just for games but mostly for practice. There is only one and a half practice fields outside the turf, NK has 4 full sized practice fields plus 2 lit turf fields (lit turf has 3 times the use of unlit) so in total NK has up to 11 practice fields to KHS 2 and a half. AND both schools have the same number of programs to train. Where do they do it? It's more than a "bummer" or unfair, it's unrealistic and doesn't provide for essential programs public high schools should provide.
As to budgeting, yes the district is strapped for money, but left over funds from the bond must be spent on capital facilities, not maintenence or books. By putting lights at Buccaneer Field we triple the use and it fully utilizies money already spent for turf, getting best use of money already spent.
Though it doesn't meet all the needs, it goes a long way to helping deserving kids and a community to provide practice space. It also can help alleviate some scheduling conflicts that will happen when KHS gets equal time at NK Stadium, something that will happen due to fairness and required title IX requirements.
You see, all our kids benefit, North Kitsap players too. Change is hard but inevitable. Most of the young people involved have been very understanding, hopefully with a sense of fair play and respect we will work this out.
We really are all on the same team. I will always be a Viking under my Buc skin.
Craig C. Smith

Re: Board Stadium Statement - North Kitsap Herald

penvid — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:41:11 -0000

I too have been to many meetings since the bond was passed and I agree the district has always gone with the idea of one stadium and should. What I don't understand is it has been very apparent that the district would add lights to the KHS turf field if there were monies left over in the bond. There appears to be enough and it should be a priority item on the list. Spending 1.2 million and only using it a third of the time is fiscially unsound. Many multi high schools sharing one stadium still have turf fields and all I can find are lit! Kingston HS doesn't have JV fields or Strawberry Field nearby and little room to develop needed fields and consider the cost if they could. A turf field is nothing more than a grass field without mud if lights aren't present. KHS sports can't share the turf without lights, there is much more than just 5 varsity football games played. The boys and girls soccer programs have 32 home games combined varsity and JV (which are usually stacked), there is the band which needs time and the middle school too let alone community use. There is also the fact that the turf field is the gathering place for emergency reasons (a bomb threat for example) and it must be in the plans for lights with all the evening activities a school does.
I don't think Kingston High School needs bathrooms or larger covered bleachers but it is prudent and wise to put lights up. The board and staff have shown intent to do just that all along with public meetings at Kingston Junior High before KHS was built with field lighting engineers (I was there with school board members) discussing putting in lights after it was off the initial bond money but hopefully still put in if any was left over and it appears there is some.
Lights for KHS, not a stadium, for the best interest of our kids and community and to better utilize the money already spent. Otherwise the board looks like they are punishing a community for wanting more than they thought they should get. They shouldn't expect a stadium but have every right to expect lights if the budget can fulfill it.. Otherwise the board has some explaining to do with a too early decision that affects much more than football hurting the district as a whole including NKHS kids/boosters and other community organizations that will have limited use when KHS is fairly using the stadium same as NKHS.
One stadium yes, lights at Buccaneer Field yes. It benefits all.