Construction costs being covered by community donations
PASO ROBLES — Paso Robles High School (PRHS) is one step closer to fulfilling the need for a regulation beach volleyball facility in North County. Paso Robles Joint Unified School District (PRJUSD) has approved the new three-court regulation facility, with plans to break ground late November 2023. The facility is estimated to cost $120,000.
All the construction costs are being covered by community donations from Garrett Thiessen Construction, Advanced Concrete Construction, and The Bowman Family, along with program sponsorships from Borjon Auto Center, Paso Robles Waste & Recycle, Bearcat Boosters, and Paso Robles High School Athletic Department. The new facility will be located across the street from PRHS, between the District Office and the softball field.
“This is a great opportunity for our Bearcats,” said PRHS Athletic Director Michael Sauret. “Bringing this facility to PRHS is helping to solidify the commitment to our beach volleyball athletes.”
During the Tuesday, Oct. 24, PRJUSD board meeting, trustees also approved the receipt of the “Bearcat Beach Donation” from donors Allen G. Bowman and Garrett Theissen of Theissen Construction to complete the construction plans for three beach volleyball courts in the turf area to the east of the district office.
According to staff, the donors have completed a topographic survey and plans that include demolition, grading, and erosion control, along with the installation of equipment for the new courts.
The new courts will accommodate the PRHS girls’ beach volleyball team, which currently holds its practice on a grass court. Athletes on the team expressed concerns for not being properly prepared for games due to not practicing on a sand court. Trustees unanimously approved the donation for the beach volleyball courts.
Beach Volleyball Director of Sport and head coach Vickie Werling said about the new facility, “I am so happy for our athletes to get a proper and most importantly a safe facility to practice and compete on. This will help us grow our program and allow Paso Robles High School to have a home field location easily accessible to our athletes and spectators. Our goal will be to encourage our local surrounding high schools to join the beach program as well, so we can offer the youth of the North County a sport that ages with you beyond high school and college.”
Girls beach volleyball became a recognized CIF sport in 2022. In the 2023 beach volleyball season, the Bearcats earned second in the Ocean League and took first place in the gold bracket at the end-of-season tournament with the duo of McKenzie Cobb/Olivia Heinbach being named first team All-League and Ashlee Wescom/Kayley Mills being named second team All-League. The 2024 season begins in February.
If you are interested in becoming a Bearcat beach volleyball sponsor, please reach out to Coach Werling at vwerling@pasoschools.org.
Feature Image: The 2023 Paso Robles High School girls beach volleyball team relax in the sand. There will be some sand back on campus as the Bearcats will have a new beach volleyball facility at PRHS. Photo Courtesy of PRHS Beach Volleyball
