Tight budgets do not permit the county's taxpayers to pay for the press box, Martin said. So the school and its boosters had to do it themselves through donations of money, goods and time to the project.
"Here is truly a community-minded school," said Clear Spring Principal John Peckyno.
Most of the materials were donated by area businesses and people. The school's athletic boosters kicked in an additional $6,000 to purchase items that were not donated.
Free labor was given by everyone from the boosters to the students to Peckyno himself. Work began last October and finishing touches were still being added as late as Friday evening to have the building ready for Saturday's homecoming game.
Not all of the help was expert, but that didn't matter.
"Along the way, some people even learned to do things they never did before," said Ronnie Baker, president of the Clear Spring High School Athletic Boosters.
The two-story, brick press box was built on an angle so that it serves both the soccer field and softball field. From the top floor, players can be introduced and announcements can be made over a new loudspeaker system. On the first floor, there is room for storing equipment.
The total cost of the building as been estimated to be between $25,000 and $30,000, said Scott Horning, project coordinator and the track coach at Clear Spring.
But the building is only the beginning of an ongoing program to improve the school's athletic facilities, he said. The next challenge: installing lights at the soccer field so that next year's Homecoming game can be played at night.
"We can make that possible if everyone who is here today chips in and does a small part," Horning told the crowd before the game.
