Community Health & Wellness Sports

YMCA makes pitch to cap off sports field funding

The YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties accelerated its sports field fundraising campaign into the homestretch with a community rally Friday.

The Y, through a 2021 lease agreement with the city of Gig Harbor, is responsible for financing and developing two lighted, synthetic-turf fields for soccer, lacrosse, football and baseball/softball. It’s designated as Phase 1A in the city’s sports complex master plan.

The fields will be off Harbor Hill Drive between Phase 1B, which is under construction just north of the Tom Taylor Family YMCA parking lot, and Costco.

The YMCA has raised $5.5 million of the $7 million needed for the project.

Former college, national and professional soccer star Stephanie Cox addresses the crowd. Photo by Ed Friedrich

Jessie Palmer, the Y’s senior executive for financial development, provided an update on funding and construction plans to about 30 sports enthusiasts Friday at the facility.

After opening in 2007, the YMCA in 2017 began eyeing the 11.5 undeveloped acres between it and Costco to build its own field. It and Gig Harbor, which was making plans for 7.1 forested acres the city acquired on the south side of the Y in 2011, had been in discussions since 2014 to develop community fields.

City bought the land

Gig Harbor beat the Y to the parcel beside Costco. In 2017, it bought it from Harbor Hill LLC for $3.5 million. The city acquired the 9.1-acre Little League fields to the southwest the same year, all with a sports complex in mind.

Besides financing and building the fields, the Y through the lease agreement with the city will be provided space for outdoor youth and adult sports and summer day camps. The Y will be responsible for scheduling, maintaining and repairing the fields, and making them available to the public when not rented or scheduled for practices or games.

Sketch of Phase 1A multi-sport fields. Courtesy of Tom Taylor Family YMCA

In August, the YMCA’s board authorized construction of the fields as early as spring 2025 after reaching a funding milestone. The $5.5 million raised to date includes $3.2 million in private donations, $2 million committed by the city from its hospital benefit zone, and a combined $300,000 from the state and Pierce County, Palmer said.

Councilwoman, sports figures speak

Palmer introduced City Councilwoman Mary Barber and prominent local sports figures who spoke to the importance of reaching the fundraising finish line.

Barber said a similar partnership in her former Anchorage, Alaska, home produced eight or nine fields.

“It’s a really, really cool project, and I have a personal commitment to make sure it happens,” she said. “It will bring a lot of wonderful excitement to the neighborhood. … We’re getting really, really close to the goal and I’m counting on everyone in this room to give as much as you can to get the project over the finish line.”

Stephanie Cox won a gold medal with the U.S. women’s soccer team at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and is a 2025 nominee for the National Soccer Hall of Fame. She played four seasons at the University of Portland, leading the Pilots to an undefeated NCAA title in 2005.

Longtime youth sports coach Jim Peschek speaks to the need for more fields. Photo by Ed Friedrich

The defender played professionally for several years. She coached the Gig Harbor High School girls for five years and won a state championship in 2018 with an undefeated season. She now heads the University of Puget Sound program and coaches Harbor Soccer Club’s premier squad.

Scheduling practices is difficult

It’s a puzzle, especially during the dark and muddy winters, to schedule practices for all the local teams. Lighted, synthetic-turfed fields are important for “kids to be outside with their team doing something they love,” she said. … I’m really excited my daughters will be able to take advantage of these wonderful fields.”

Jim Peschek played football, basketball and baseball at Gig Harbor High and continued with football and baseball while in college. He has coached youth sports for 20 years, including guiding the Tides girls softball program since 2017. Daughter Riley also was a multiple-sport star at Gig Harbor and now plays softball for the University of Washington.

Peschek, who owns a construction company, said only one lighted, synthetic field has been built in Gig Harbor during his lifetime, at Sehmel Homestead Park. That’s not enough for the growing number of kids. He’s seen 16 teams practicing on one field.

Sports complex phases

“That’s really unfair to these kids, and that doesn’t count the kids that get left off,” said Peschek, who said sports kept him tired and out of trouble. “We could have so much more than we have.

“I’m proud of being a donor. I’m proud of friends who stepped up. It’s something I have to do for my community. I want to make sure we get out in the community and keep their feet to the fire because there are so many kids who could be playing sports who aren’t.”

Proponent Paul making a difference

Marty Paul said when he and wife Stacy were toting their kids on traveling soccer teams, they saw beautiful facilities in towns with fewer means than Gig Harbor.

“I said when (daughter) Olivia graduates, I’m going to make a difference,” said Marty, a financial advisor. “At that point in my life I wanted to make a difference.”

Paul donated $100,000 and told longtime YMCA supporter Tom Taylor, who the Gig Harbor YMCA is named for, “that I feel I could make a bigger impact in the community by showing people the importance of sports in their lives and their kids’ lives. … There is no excuse not to do this.

“It takes a grassroots effort from here to get across the finish line. … It’s time for the broader community to step up. … There should be no question of the need for these fields and there should be no question the need for the community to make these fields happen.”

Palmer announced Friday that an anonymous donor will match each contribution up to $100,000. Click here to make a donation.

Jessie Palmer, the Y’s senior executive for financial development, updates guest on the sports fields. Photo by Ed Friedrich

Other phases

The $5.5 million Phase 1B is on track and targeted to open in February, said Gig Harbor Parks Manager Jennifer Haro. It will include six pickleball courts, three bocce ball courts, a performance stage, an event lawn, a playground, two picnic shelters and a bathroom/concession building. Pease Construction broke ground in May.

The City Council accepted a feasibility study for Phases 2 and 3 in March. Phase 2 includes improving 9.1 acres leased to Gig Harbor Little League to add turf and to re-line fields for multiple sports. Phase 3 includes developing 7.1 acres of forested land just to the south of the YMCA into two lighted, turfed fields for multiple sports. Fundraising hasn’t begun.