A new partnership between Allen Community College and USD 257 aims to strengthen athletic opportunities for local students.
The two institutions recently finalized a pair of memorandums of understanding that formalize the sharing of athletic facilities and create a jointly supported athletic trainer position for the upcoming school year.
The agreements grew out of conversations that began last year as both institutions explored ways to work more closely together, particularly as USD 257 faced challenges with flooding of its fields at Riverside Park.
Under the facilities agreement, Allen will make its baseball and softball fields available for USD 257 use when they are not needed by the college. In return, the district will allow the college to use its track and football/soccer field. The arrangement also includes access to associated areas such as dugouts, bleachers and restrooms.
Each institution retains priority use of its own facilities, and scheduling will be coordinated by the schools’ athletic directors and coaches prior to each season to minimize conflicts.
ALLEN Community College President Dr. Lyvier Leffler said the collaboration is rooted in a shared responsibility to make the most of public resources.
“We all receive taxpayer dollars,” she said. “We want your students to come out here, whether they come here as college students or not. We want to work together and be fiscally responsible with our funds.”
Allen has already begun improving its facilities in ways that could benefit high school athletes. The college is installing lights on its softball field, a project expected to help accommodate evening practices.
“That’s going to be super helpful for the high school,” Leffler said.
District Superintendent Stacey Fager said the agreement also helped give school board members confidence to move forward with improvements of their own. USD 257 is planning a $1.2 million turf project at its football field that could also benefit Allen’s soccer program.
“It will also strengthen what we do with youth football, middle school football, and high school football,” Fager said. “I think that will be a great investment for the future of that facility.”
The partnership could expand further in the coming years. “The college hasn’t been able to host track meets for their conference,” said Fager. He noted that resurfacing the district’s track could eventually allow Allen to host conference meets there.
ALONGSIDE the facilities agreement, the two institutions also approved an athletic trainer partnership that will take effect July 1, and run through June 30, 2027.
Under the agreement, ACC will hire and employ a certified athletic trainer who will serve both the college and the district.
USD 257 will reimburse the college for 50% of the trainer’s base salary during the 2026–27 academic year.
The trainer will typically work at the college from noon to 3 p.m. on weekdays before providing services at Iola High School from 3 to 6 p.m., though the schedule may shift to accommodate tournaments, seasonal demands or special events. The trainer will also provide medical coverage for district home games and assist with high-demand periods in Allen’s athletic seasons.
