Uniformed players, parents and coaches attended the Wednesday night South Butler County School Board meeting to ask the board to consider adding a baseball team for boys in grades six, seven and eight.

Troy McCurdy told the school board that enough interest exists to form a junior high baseball team, although the district is not growing.

He said more than 50 boys in grades six, seven and eight signed up to play baseball with the Saxonburg Area Baseball Association.

McCurdy said in addition, the association's youth programs grow every year, meaning more junior high-aged players would be available in the future.

He said the association would fund the team in the 2021-22 school year, provide 50% funding in the 2022-23 school year, and support facility improvements at the district.

McCurdy said needs in the potential program include athletic department improvements such as an upgraded weight room and new turf on the Knoch High School football field.

“We look forward to working with (athletic director Kurt) Reiser, the school board and any committees in trying to make this happen for next year for our junior high kids,” McCurdy said.

David Andrews, who has been a coach and teacher for 23 years in a neighboring school district, agreed that adding a junior high team at South Butler as a feeder for the varsity program would be beneficial.

“Having something that is Saxonburg and Knoch pride, to get these kids started earlier, I think would be a great advantage to our district,” Andrews said.

Clinton Simons, a coach with the Saxonburg Area Baseball Association, said it is a privilege to coach the boys who attended the meeting on Wednesday.

Simons said the best teams contain a majority of players who have come up through the ranks together.

“By keeping these boys together, we're a pretty competitive team,” Simons said.

The young players and their parents and coaches applauded after each man addressed the board.

During the school board member comment session at the end of the meeting, George Zacherl said he is in favor of adding a junior high baseball team.

“Hopefully we can make that happen because I think that would be such a positive thing coming out of COVID,” Zacherl said.

Superintendent David Foley said he agrees that a junior high team would be “a great idea,” he said some hurdles in adding the team do exist.

He said meeting the requirement to have the same number of sports teams for girls as for boys, field accommodations and potentially pulling athletes from other springtime teams are some of those hurdles.

Foley said the board's athletic committee will discuss the possibility of adding a junior high team.