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Linn-Mar next in growing trend among schools to invest in athletic facilities
A $55 million plan includes an indoor activities center with sports courts, wrestling space, indoor track and weight room
Sep. 5, 2025 5:30 am, Updated: Sep. 5, 2025 7:41 am
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Linn-Mar’s plan to invest almost $55 million into an indoor activities center is just the latest in a trend of Iowa schools creating modern facilities to expand opportunities for students.
The Linn-Mar school board last month approved a $3.6 million contract with OPN Architects to continue the design phase for the activities center and other improvements.
The added facility space not only will benefit the hundreds of students in Linn-Mar’s athletics but also physical education classes and community youth programs.
“It’s the next step for the district,” said Kyle Hoffman, a cross-country and track coach whose athletes routinely wind up running school hallways when it’s too cold, rainy, icy or snowy to practice outdoors.
The indoor activities center will be an addition to the high school with a wrestling space, indoor activities space, sports courts, indoor track, weight room, locker room, seating and auxiliary spaces.
The existing auxiliary gym, locker rooms, weight room, training room and activities entrance will be renovated under the plan. A storm shelter also is included in the design.
The main additions will be located on the northeast and southeast sides of the high school.
The project is being funded with Secure an Advanced Vision for Education and Physical Plant and Equipment Levy funds. No additional taxes or funding measures are required.
SAVE is Iowa’s one cent sales tax that helps school districts pay for projects like building repairs and technology upgrades. PPEL is a property tax levied and collected by the school district. Voters in the Linn-Mar Community School District approved renewing PPEL last year by about 74 percent.
Both funds can be used for the improvement of grounds, purchase, construction and remodeling of buildings and major equipment purchases.
Athletes use hallways to practice
In the spring when seasons start in February, track, soccer and tennis athletes all can be found using the hallways of Linn-Mar High School as a gymnasium in inclement weather, Hoffman said.
“Basketball is usually still going on, so the gyms themselves are not available,” Hoffman said.
The floors of the hallway are hard on athletes’ joints, Hoffman said. There’s not room for sprinters to run more than “short bursts” or get up to much speed. Throwers and hurdlers can’t do much — if any — training aimed at their specific skill sets, he said.
An indoor activities center would be “used to its fullest almost daily” between athletics, PE classes, club sports and youth programs, Hoffman said.
More schools investing in extracurricular facilities
Linn-Mar isn’t alone in investing in an indoor activities center.
The Iowa City Community School District plans to invest $104.6 million in to the construction of field houses and fine arts additions and improvements to athletic fields, performance spaces and playgrounds. The plan will be funded by SAVE.
The Iowa City school board also has expressed interest in partnering with Coralville on a new rec center, indicating it would provide as much as $14 million for the project. The rec center would include a competition pool that primarily would be used by the school district.
The College Community School District is constructing a swimming pool and wellness center that will be operated by the YMCA. It is expected to open spring 2026.
The facility is being funded by a $43 million bond referendum approved by voters in the district in November 2023.
Competing for the weight room
Regardless of the weather, coaches say it’s a puzzle to find room for all their athletes to practice, especially with the addition of girls wrestling a few years ago.
One of the biggest challenges is booking time in the weight room. The 80 students on the volleyball team lift in four shifts, said Nicole Rowland, volleyball coach and dean of students at Linn-Mar High School.
“Lifting is a huge part of athletics and strength training to help kids from getting injured and perform better,” Rowland said. “Some kids come in to lift from 5-6 a.m. because that’s their time slot, and then they have practice after school.”
Other sports also need to use the weight room in the fall, including football and cross country.
Weightlifting is one of the most popular PE classes, Rowland said. If there was another weight room, more students could enroll in the class.
There are seven squat racks in Linn-Mar High School’s current weight room, which means including the cardio machines, the room has capacity for about 35 students.
Outdated locker rooms
Updating existing, outdated facilities is vital.
“I graduated from (Washington High School) in 1998, and I played four sports. Linn-Mar was a huge rivalry. We used the same locker rooms in 1998 that they’re using now, and they were in way better shape then,” Rowland said.
When the volleyball team huddles in the locker room before a game, other athletes are often interrupting because it’s the only changing room available for all female athletes, Rowland said.
“Before a competition, we’re talking about what we need to focus on, what we’ve worked on in practice, if kids have any questions about the game plan, it’s their last chance to ask before they warm up,” Rowland said.
Other activity in the locker room often interrupts that.
Linn-Mar athletics is more about competition, Rowland said.
”I don’t want to lose sight of my role. It’s not just to win championships. It’s to guide people to becoming great adults, reach their potential and know their value. It’s loving kids and giving them a safe space,” Rowland said.
With teams vying for practice space, many are practicing off campus.
In the winter, the freshman boys basketball team is transported to Hazel Point Intermediate School, about a seven-minute drive, said Jordan Printy, boys basketball coach.
Printy also is a commissioner for the Linn-Mar Basketball Academy, a developmental youth basketball program for boys and girls. While not operated by the school district, the program does use Linn-Mar facilities and also is competing for space, often practicing until 9:30 p.m.
Only four courts were available to 250 kids over the summer enrolled in a youth volleyball camp, Rowland said.
More room for wrestling
There’s only one wrestling room in the district. Last year, the girls team put wrestling mats in the auxiliary gym for the season, taking space away from PE classes.
“We can’t roll up mats every day,” said Douglas Streicher, former boys wrestling coach and a PE teacher at the high school. “You make the best of it. There’s so many obstacles limiting space, trying to give kids experience they can apply later in life to their own fitness.”
Streicher compared it to kicking a chemistry class out of its lab. “How do you do your assignment, your experiments without your equipment and adequate spaces?” he said.
“I’ll probably be retired by the time (the activities center) comes online,” Streicher said. “But I want it for our community. For my grandkids someday.”
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