The demand for gym space continues to grow as more activities are available to students and community members alike. However, the space available to Tracy Area Public Schools is going to decrease at the end of the month and even more at the end of the year, resulting is some juggling for Activities Director Bill Tauer.
During the District No. 2904 School Board meeting Monday night, the Tracy Area Public School Board received an update on gym space from Tauer. He found out in November that the Iterro (formally tru-Shrimp) gymnasium in Balaton would no longer be a gymnasium after Thanksgiving. While the school calendar had already been released prior to the start of the school year, Tauer had to juggle several junior high basketball games. Originally, there were eight junior high basketball games scheduled for Balaton this winter. Those games have been moved to either the VMC or Milroy gym.
The loss of the use of the gym in Balaton also affects practices. Junior high basketball uses the gym, as does junior high softball and baseball in the spring before the weather allows outdoor practices. With practices having to move to Tracy, this will have an effect on other activities that use the TAPS facilities such as JO Volleyball and Pacesetter basketball.
“The junior high baseball and softball teams would have to practice after varsity at 7 p.m., or go before school or wait until it’s nice outside to practice, which will put them behind,” Tauer explained. “It also affects JO Volleyball or Pacesetter basketball. If at night we have to use it for junior high baseball or softball, there will be less and less times or at worse times. Someone may have to practice at 8 or 9 p.m. at night instead of 6.”
The lack of gym space will become an even bigger problem next year with the consolidation of Milroy Public School and TAPS. The Milroy gym will no longer be available for practice or junior high games.
“Right now, I schedule all the junior high basketball games for Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Tauer said. “Next year, junior high games won’t be as consistent. I’ll have to schedule around when I know I’ll have a gym at the VMC.”
The school does rent the St. Mary’s School gym Monday, Wednesday and Friday for practice space. However, the tile floor doesn’t work for games.
While gym space may be limited, programs at the school continue to grow and expand.
Last week, Tauer and TMB head wrestling coach Karl Campbell held an informational meeting for any girls who wanted to wrestle with the boys team. The team knew there was one girl from WWG who had attended all the summer workouts for wrestling and wanted to wrestle. Seventeen girls attended the meeting and 11 girls joined the wrestling team for the first day of practice this past Monday.
Girls’ wrestling has expended greatly in the area and at the state level. Each year, Tauer receives calls from teams coming to Tracy to wrestle, inquiring as to the number of girls TAHS has on its team. If they don’t have any, they are asked if any of the boys will wrestle girls so the visiting team knows how many female wrestlers they should plan on wrestling that meet.
At the high school level, if a girl is on the varsity team, the opponent must wrestle them in their weight class or it is a forfeit for the opponent. However, in exhibition, the boys can decline to wrestle a girl.
With girls on the wrestling team, the team can add six female only events to the schedule. With the expanded roster of over 30 athletes and the added events, the board approved the hiring of an additional wrestling coach.
“We’re one of the last to have at least a couple girls,” Tauer said. “One of the challenges is locker rooms. Unfortunately, the boys outnumber the girls, so we have to use the girls’ coach’s room or a classroom. Most of the girls have come from wrestling families, have brothers that have wrestled or have wrestled themselves in our youth program. They have some experience.”
The interest in girls’ wrestling wasn’t a surprise for Tauer. “Currently, girls wresting for the Minnesota State High School League is in the emerging status,” Tauer said. “In two years, more than likely girls’ wrestling will be its own standalone sport. They have added a day to the state wrestling tournament; both boys and girls are double elimination at the state tournament and the girls went from eight-person brackets at state to 16-person brackets at state. It’s growing that fast.”
In other board news …
• The board recognized enrollment at 607, compared to November 2024 which was 650.
• Supt. Chad Anderson reviewed Policy 206 and public participation in school board meetings specifically regarding complaints about persons at school board meetings and data privacy considerations. Anderson presented the importance of making sure the chain of communication has been followed. If a person wants to speak at a school board meeting, they will need to notify the Superintendent 24 hours prior to the meeting. The board chairs will recognize one speaker at a time and that person will have three minutes to speak. Personal attacks will be ruled out of order and the speaker’s privilege to address the board will be terminated. No action will be taken on items not on the agenda. The TAPS board will not respond, only listen to the speaker. Finally, Anderson explained that the TAPS board meeting is a meeting held in public, but not a public meeting.
• The board approved the seniority list.
• The board declared surplus of an elliptical machine and a rower machine.
• The board approved the CACR action plan for 2025-2026.
• The board approved the hiring of Maggie Munson as junior high girls’ basketball coach for the 25-26 season.
• The board approved Advanced Health, Safety and Security to create a door schedule for TAHS. The schedule includes all measurements, location of hinges, handles, closers, locks, etc. for approximately $1,500. This is necessary for the COPS School Violence Prevention Program grant.
• The board approved a one-year preventative maintenance agreement with G&R controls for $17,648.
• The board recognized the following donations: $40 from an anonymous donor (TAHS Scholarship); $783.12 from PTC (Character supplies); $1,599.80 from the Panther Booster Club (weight room equipment); $585 from the Panther Booster Club (concession stand); $250 from Minnwest Bank (band and choir donation); $20,000 from the Richard Kelley Estate (future tech/ vocational scholarships); and $2,000 from Vince & Patty Wixon (Andrea & Martha Wixon Scholarship).
