HERMANN – The board of the Gasconade County R-1 School District Thursday night agreed to delay a decision on adding soccer to its roster of varsity sports until school officials talk with another district about a cooperative program for R-1 students wanting to play the game.

While some members of the R-1 Board of Directors voiced opposition to adding another sport — and its related costs — while the district is dealing a funding shortage and not replacing retiring teachers – others weren’t as reluctant to add another sport to the district’s athletic offerings.

The board was presented with a request at last month’s session from a group of parents interested in seeing R-1 join other area schools that compete in soccer. Advocates of a soccer program point to the sport’s growth in popularity among youths and they say more students would become active in sports if soccer is available.

After that board session, R-1 Activities Director Todd Anderson surveyed students to measure support for the sport. A series of questions was asked and the results presented Thursday night to the board. While the directors talked about the numbers of boys and girls responding to the survey, there was no specific question to Anderson about his interpretation of the numbers — that is, whether there was enough support indicated to sustain a soccer program.

Dot Schoening, one of the senior members of the board that moments earlier had heard a concerning report from the superintendent about next year’s operating budget, voiced reluctance to take on a soccer program.

“I think there is an interest to have soccer,” she said. “But,” she added, she believes the district “can’t afford football and soccer.”

Certainly, she said, she doesn’t think a full-blown soccer program can be accommodated. “At this time, with our enrollment, I don’t see how we can support two teams,” she said, referring to a boys team and girls team.

Schoening said she thinks it would be “financially irresponsible to add another sport” at the same time the district is unable to replace several retiring teachers.

Board President Jessica Armstrong tried to find middle ground to build support for soccer, suggesting that much of the cost of funding the sport could be handled through outside donations, for such things as equipment and uniforms. She said soccer clearly is a sport with growing support. “It’s becoming more and more popular,” she said.

But Armstrong’s effort at leaning on outside support failed to gain traction with other board members and the administration at least at this point of the discussion. The expenses associated with outfitting a team and preparing both Bearcat Memorial Stadium field and the adjacent practice field to accommodate soccer was a concern for at least one board member.

“I think the financial piece is my biggest hangup,” said Dawn Grosse, one of two new directors. Grosse did acknowledge support of the sport among R-1 students.

Director Mark Brooks suggested the panel hold off on a vote until administration officials talked with their counterparts of the Gasconade County R-2 School District to see if at least a cooperative agreement could be reached allowing R-1 girls to play on that school’s team. The other directors agreed.

In other action at Thursday night’s session the board said goodbye to three members of the administration. Associate Superintendent Leslie Lause is departing R-1 to take the superintendent’s post at Grandview School District in Jefferson County while Hermann Elementary Principal Kendra Brune and R-1 Special Services Director Missy Ash are retiring.

The movement of administrators will have Hermann Middle School Principal Matt Mueller moving into Lause’s position while HMS Assistant Principal Josh Schwenk succeeds Mueller. Mandy Koch, who for the past three years has taught foreign language at Hermann High School, will be the new HES principal.

Ash is being succeeded by Rachel Meyer of New Haven as the new director of student services.