FAIRLAND -- Triton Central High School is preparing to have a boys soccer program starting in the fall of 2023.

Triton Central principal Cary Chandler (photo) and athletic director Bryan Graham delivered a presentation Monday to the Northwestern Consolidated Schools Board detailing the plan to implement boys soccer as a junior varsity program only in 2023. The program then will have its readiness assessed to become a varsity program in 2024 or remain a junior varsity program for another season.

“I have been talking about this for a long time and COVID hit,” said Chandler to the school board. “So were revisiting this idea of possibly looking at a boys soccer team.”

Triton Central already has a middle school boys soccer club in place and is the only member of the Indiana Crossroads Conference (ICC) without a boys soccer program at the high school level.

“This comes down to providing another opportunity for our kids,” said Chandler.

The goal would be to play 8-10 matches in the fall against ICC schools or against other junior varsity teams in the area.

“We have the means. Coach Graham has done a phenomenal job with creating the ability to sustain our athletic programs,” said Chandler. “We have the facilities. And we have the interest.”

Graham confirmed there is enough room for four or five soccer fields to practice on in addition to using the artificial turf at Mendenhall Field where all home girls soccer games are contested.

The Indiana High School Athletic Association has already given its blessing for Triton Central to add boys soccer to its athletic programs.

The next step is to advertise for a head coach and order equipment. Once the coach is in place, summer workouts can be organized and conducted with the first official practice to commence in June.

In other board business Monday:

• The board removed the “interim” tag from Triton Central Elementary School Principal Rhonda Hill. She was an assistant principal at the high school before stepping into the role at TCES in January after former principal Heather Gant resigned to accept a new position.
• The board listened to Superintendent Chris Hoke explain a timeline for updating the school system’s current Strategic Plan, which has not been updated in the last five years.

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