Indoor athletic complex is open in Mount Orab

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After driving his daughter all over for soccer practices and games, Belfast area resident Jeff Gorman and his family saw an opportunity. The result is the Mt. Orab Sports Complex that opened in October.

The facility, located off SR 32 at 600 Day Road, Mount Orab, has an indoor soccer field, basketball and volleyball courts, and batting cages, a room that can rented for parties or meetings, and offers concessions. Gorman said sand volleyball courts will be added outdoors in the spring, and there are future plans to build outdoor soccer and softball/baseball fields.

“We have 14 acres of commercial property on Route 32 in Mount Orab,” Gorman said. “My daughter played soccer year around and in the winter we’d have to go to Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky, and at some places they play games from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Some people would have to get up at 4 a.m. to make it to a game. We have a bunch of farm ground, so we took some of that money and built a building for the rural kids.”

The building housing the indoor facilities has more than 29,000 square feet. It has 33-foot high ceilings, heating and air-conditioning, and LED lighting, according to Gorman.

Currently, Gorman said there are 40 teams, including teams from Hillsboro, Lynchburg, Fayetteville, North Adams and Western Brown, playing at the facility weekly. He said it has the capacity to accommodate about 110 teams weekly.

He said the facility adds something new every couple weeks with yoga and Zumba classes coming soon.

Volleyball registration is underway and runs through Dec. 16, indoor soccer registration is from Jan. 7-20, and 3v3 basketball registration will be from Feb. 25 to March 10.

The facility also offers an open gym or courts at a cost of $5 per person per visit, several days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is open gym basketball every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; open court volleyball every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday; and open field soccer Monday through Friday.

The soccer field is 178 feet by 80 feet, and the volleyball and basketball courts are regulation size, although the basketball playing areas are not full court.

Joe Wilhelm, athletic director at the facility, said the soccer, basketball and volleyball leagues offer fundamental classes and tournaments, and that a trainer comes in twice a week to offer pitching and hitting instruction.

The sports complex is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

There is no admission fee for those visting to watch games.

“We’re just trying to get things lined up and get a full schedule,” Gorman said. “We’d like to get all the rural kids in here; give them something to do. Just come on out and check us out. We’re open every day.”

Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.

This photo shows part of the indoor soccer field at the Mt. Orab Sports Complex.
http://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2018/12/web1_Mt-Orab-sports-pic-1-1.jpgThis photo shows part of the indoor soccer field at the Mt. Orab Sports Complex.
Owners say they plan to add outdoor facilities in future

By Jeff Gilliland

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