West Central Valley student athletes will soon benefit from a new athletic training service being brought in by the district.

School Board members have voted to approve a contract with Peak Performance out of Des Moines that will send certified athletic trainers to many West Central Valley home sporting events.

Athletic Director Tod Broman had been working to hire an athletic training service for the past couple of months, and he says he’s excited for district athletes.

“Having been in coaching and athletics for 37 years, it is great to see that we’re going to have somebody on the sidelines, and I’m not taking anything away from the (Stuart) Rescue Unit or the paramedics that we’ve had help us out, but they even realize there is a huge advantage having an athletic trainer.  We have to think of the health and well being of our student athletes and this a huge step in the right direction.”

The exact dollar amount of the district’s contract with Peak Performance has not been agreed upon, though Broman says it will be between $6,000 and $7,000.  He explains now what events trainers will be at when they’re officially hired.

“We will include all football games–JV, freshman, varsity and even middle school.  We’ll also have them at a high school track meet and a cross country track meet.  Then they’ll be at the soccer matches and wrestling meets, which is two tournaments and some home duals.”

Broman says there is a possibility that the district could also hire Peak Performance trainers to attend a couple of away football games but that has not been decided of yet.

Superintendent Dr. David Arnold says he and Broman will meet in the days ahead to finalize an exact cost of the athletic training service, which will be covered by the school district and the West Central Valley Booster Club.

Arnold says the service should be available for district athletes by July 1st.