LVHN Sports Performance Center at Schuylkill Haven: Nothing like it

Aug. 17—SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — The Schuylkill Haven Area School District wasted no time in putting the new Lehigh Valley Health Network Sports Performance Center to use.

Even as school board President Scott R. Jacoby snipped a ribbon commemorating the opening of the $5.5 million facility shortly after noon Tuesday, the Schuylkill Haven Area High School Hurricane gridders were practicing on the football-like turf field inside the structure.

Though not entirely coincidental, the high school varsity football squad working out as the facility was dedicated played right into Superintendent Shawn T. Fitzpatrick's opening remarks.

"We're so proud knowing that our students from K-12 will benefit from this versatile space," he told a crowd of about 150 gathered outside the center. "Schuylkill Haven recognizes the value of a complete education, which includes participation in the arts and athletics."

Fitzpatrick called attention to the 14-year naming agreement with LVHN, which he estimates is worth about $1 million in athletic equipment, scholarships and sports medicine services to the district.

"We are a proud partner with LVHN today to support our students and the community for many years to come," Fitzpatrick said.

William Reppy, LVH-Schuylkill president, recalled the groundbreaking of the center 18 months ago.

"Time certainly does fly," Reppy said. "This is a celebration of what can be accomplished, even during a pandemic."

A delegation from LVH-Schuylkill, including representatives of the Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute, attended the dedication. The institute will offer sports medicine care to Schuylkill Haven student athletes.

"This is truly a remarkable facility," Reppy said. "There is nothing else like it in our region."

Getting rid of an eyesore

The idea of a sports performance center took root about two years ago when Fitzpatrick and Dennis Siket, assistant athletic director, walked by an aging tennis and basketball court near the school's athletic field.

It had been built in the 1960s, Fitzpartick recalled, and weeds were growing out of cracks in the court surface. It looked dilapidated, he said. It was an eyesore.

Fitzpatrick got to thinking about what could be done about the situation. He called an architect and asked for a sketch of a steel building with a turf inside. Then, he called a financial consultant, who said interest rates were low and it would be advantageous to refinance the district's debt.

The school board discussed the project, Jacoby said, and there were some disagreements.

The stars seemed to align, Jacoby said. Interest rates were historically low, the district had a great architect and the naming rights agreement with LVHN pretty much secured the project.

"We finally came together and said this is something we need to do for our students and the community we serve," said Jacoby, a retired teacher and administrator at Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29. "In my opinion, we have one of the most forward-thinking school boards in this area."

The board refinanced the district's debt, Fitzpatrick said, a move that saved about $2 million. The savings offset the cost of the sports center, he said.

Helping students cope

Rhonda Johnson, who teaches fourth grade at Schuylkill Haven Area Elementary, said the new sports center couldn't have come at a better time.

The pandemic has taken a mental and emotional toll on students, she said, and working out or participating in sports at the center can help students cope.

"So many things changed during the pandemic," said Johnson, a teacher for 33 years. "This center can be an outlet for their frustrations."

Siket, a former physical education teacher who's an assistant principal in the high school, will manage the LVHN Sports Performance Center.

"Anytime you get students involved in an activity, they can find motivation," he said. "It helps their mental health."

As part of its mental health initiative, Fitzpatrick said, Schuylkill Haven builds student activities into its daily curriculum.

"When you take care of the physical body, it builds strength to help with mental health," he said. "Active kids are more able to deal with mental health challenges."

Coming together

Schuylkill County Commissioner Gary J. Hess, who attended the dedication, said the center stands as an example of community cooperation.

"When you have the school board, the business community and the public working together, you get success," said Hess, a Schuylkill Haven resident. "This is what success looks like."

Robert S. Carl Jr., Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce president, recalled how his daughter had to go out of the county to find an indoor practice site when she played soccer with Blue Mountain High School from 2004-07.

One of the closest facilities, he said, was the Body Zone in Exeter Twp., Berks County.

"We would have died for a facility like this," Carl said. "It's spectacular, and I congratulate Schuylkill Haven and LVHN for their vision."

Watching the Hurricanes practice on the indoor field, Rich Docherty was drawn back to his days on the football squad at Saint Clair High School. He played nose guard when the Saints won the championship in 1971, the year he graduated.

A retired Hydro Extrusions North America worker, Docherty chuckled when asked if there was anything like the sports center when he played.

"Our baseball field was a parking lot for the football stadium," he said. "There's no comparison."

Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007