Louisburg High School seeking donations to start girls soccer program

The most compelling time in sport is overtime. The sudden death, next score wins, type of overtime.

They have it in soccer, but not currently for girls in Louisburg (Kan.), home of the Wildcats, who are trying to raise $9,269 by May 23 in order to start a girls soccer program.

If they do that, the DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation, as part of its nifty new Sports Matter Project, will match that total, giving the school the money it needs to start the program in the spring of 2016.

If the Louisburg Soccer Club can't reach their goal to the penny, there will be no matching of any sort.

It's all or nothing.

There are no penalty kicks.

See Louisburg's plight and donate here

The club will have to raise the remaining portion of its ultimate goal of $18,538 by December to field a team. The local school board approved the additional team last year but only upon condition of it raising the funds themselves.

Everyone around the close-knit Eastern Kansas community, located just a few miles from the Missouri border, wants the girls to have their own high school team, but times are very tough. Everyone needs to pitch in.

With the help of DICK'S, that burden will be eased significantly.

"It is stressful," said Karin Olson, president of the 300-player strong Louisburg Soccer Club. "It's an all-consuming process at times. But it's worth it. We're so thankful for the DICK'S Sports Matters program and I'm so confident and thankful for our community to help get this done."

Between 10-20 high school-aged girls are part of the fundraising efforts, along with 12 strong LSC committee members, said Olson.

The Wildcats have a boys soccer team that plays in the fall and girls are encouraged to try out and earn a spot. Some have. But they are few and far between and clearly the coed situation is not ideal. The fall season also conflicts with the girls club season, forcing girls to choose. 

In their application to be selected to the Sports Matters Project, Olson wrote: "All students should have maximum opportunity to compete in athletics with and against their peers. Coed athletic competition is no way to fix the situation. While some girls are good enough to play coed, the truth is that boys are simply bigger, stronger, taller and faster.

"We understand the school district has limited funds, but this is not a reason to not have a girls' team. The girls are looking for equality."

Louisburg Athletic Director Darin Gagnebin understands and agrees. He and Louisburg approached the school board approximately five years ago about adding a girls soccer team.

"The budgets were then just getting slammed," Gagnebin said. "The state cut all funding for extra-curricular activities. They were cutting teachers and programs left and right. It was awful. Now the budget is getting a little better, but times are still tough. There's an opening and we need to take it.

"I completely applaud the soccer club for stepping up and leading this fund-raising effort and getting girls started at our school. It speaks to our close-knit, small-town community as well. It's a struggle, but we find a way for our kids."

Ultimately, the kids just want an even playing field and a chance to represent their school, says Louisburg sophomore Maddie McDaniel.

"Playing soccer for Louisburg would mean we'd have a chance to play for the school we love in the sport we love," McDaniel said.

If the money is raised, the Wildcats would play in a league currently with three teams, so their addition would even that playing field also. And speaking of fields, a new soccer field and stadium has been built.

"We're just putting the finishing touches on it now," Gagnebin said. "Now we just need a new girls team to play in it."