Mitchell Parks and Rec. Department receives soccer money donation

In its first year of existence, Mitchell’s Pepsi Cola Soccer Complex hosted the South Dakota state soccer tournament.

The tournament’s directors — Denise Werner and Hannah Walters — presented a check to the Mitchell Parks and Recreation Department last month for $9,805.53, which was 100 percent of the State Soccer Organizing Committee’s earnings from the tournament.

The check will be used to further improve the Pepsi Cola Soccer Complex, which hosted its first state tournament from Oct. 7 to Oct. 10 last year.

“The park and rec crew stepped up so much to make this thing a success that we just felt like they deserved it,” said Werner, who presented the check during a Dec. 14 Mitchell Parks and Recreation advisory board meeting.

Mitchell Parks and Recreation Director Dusty Rodiek said there’s many options the money could be used toward.

“This came as a complete surprise and we were very pleased with the donation,” Rodiek said. “It’s nice to see that they were willing to invest those dollars back into the community.

“Right now, there’s some ideas how we may spend that money, but we don’t have a concrete plan. There’s several needs out there, but we’re going to have to evaluate them and put them on a priority list.”

The money was raised by the State Soccer Organizing Committee, of which Walters and Werner are members. The committee gained its money by way of T-shirt sales and other promotions.

The Mitchell Parks and Recreation staff was responsible for maintenance services, which included mowing grass, painting the fields, garbage removal and bleacher seating at an event that brought nearly 7,500 people to Mitchell in a four-day span.

Werner said the organizing committee voted unanimously at its Dec. 6 wrap-up meeting in favor of giving its proceeds to the park and rec department.

“I think they were shocked, because when you get a delegation in, it’s always wanting something or asking for something,” Werner said. “Very rarely is it some other party presenting the board with something. I think they were speechless for a minute.”

The state soccer tournament is scheduled to be in Mitchell at the Pepsi Cola Soccer Complex again in October.

Tags: high school soccer, pepsi cola soccer complex, sports, soccer