Soldotna needs better funding for all student sports
An issue that has been addressed consistently, but never solved, is how will Soldotna learn to fund local sports effectively. Now more than ever, we are seeing many programs struggle due to lack of and reduced funding and gym space within the community. While there seems to be a rise in space for new activities, such as the new Soldotna Field House, there are many factors that aren’t being taken into consideration.
In recent years the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District has faced budget cuts directly related to school activities and the lack of funding regarding occupant space for sports. Despite many attempts to resolve this issue, coaches and club leaders have been cut severely compared to past years, and even though the district brought some of that money back, they still aren’t spending nearly as much as they used to on student activities. In addition to budget cuts, the district has increased the cost to play sports to $300 for full-time students and $600 for homeschool students. With the increase in cost, people assumed that this would mean more opportunity for local activities. They were misled. Although the district increased prices to play sports, they are still faced with the challenge of finding open gym space. Soldotna is a small community and teams depend on having enough players to stay competitive, so when gym space is unavailable and the fees get high, not only are the students unable to play but programs face massive challenges.
One of the biggest discussions regarding this situation is the use of the Soldotna Prep School. In 2019, the KPBSD Board of Education voted to close and consolidate the school. Now the prep school has been turned back over to the borough and has faced many debates regarding what its use should be for. As an athlete of the Soldotna community who has practiced volleyball in that gym many times, it has been very useful when we are at a lack of gym space. Having heard rumors that it will not be available to some high schools has brought a lot of disappointment because we lack having occupant gym space already.
Even the city’s big investments highlight this imbalance. The new Soldotna Field House opened in 2025 and is a major facility with indoor turf, courts for basketball and volleyball, and an elevated track. This building cost millions of dollars to build, and while it is an amazing addition to the community, it does not solve the funding issues regarding school sports. Student athletes still have to pay fees and teams still rely on mini grants just to buy basic equipment. This building brought hope to the community that we would have a new facility to use, but it has just cost more money and isn’t even available to many programs.
Soldotna needs to make student activities in school sports a true priority again. Reliable funding would help lower fees, support coaches and make sure that all students have the chance to participate. Participation in sports creates confidence, teamwork, responsibility and gives students a safe and positive place to feel like they belong. With proper funding and environments for the athletes, we will see championship teams come out of Soldotna. It is time for Soldotna to invest in its athletes, not just its buildings.
Morgan Simac
Soldotna
