VENICE, Fla. — Venice High School’s athletic facilities suffered major damage during Hurricane Ian from a snapped goal post, bent play clocks, and shredded fencing around Powell-Davis Stadium.
“The roof was torn off the weight room,” athletics director Pete Dobroski said. “Part of the roof was taken off our wrestling room. Then obviously, you see damage to the old scoreboard.”
“It definitely hurts, especially the amount of work we put in that area and to see all the damage happen to it,” Venice quarterback Brooks Bentley added.
Venice would have played its first district game against Riverview last Friday, but with Sarasota County schools on hold, there is no plan to return to athletics.
“As soon we get back to normalcy, nothing is better than having athletics for the community to come together,” Dobroski said.
A disappointing reality for Bentley, who is leading the Indians to a number seven ranking in the state.
“We set up a schedule for player-run practices,” he said. “Just throwing still, working out. It’s very similar to COVID. We have to find a way to work, and when the season starts, we are ready to roll.”
With no school, Venice players and head coach John Peacock have stepped up in the community by delivering food to people in need.
“I feel like it’s our job to put the community on our back and give back to them,” Bentley said. “In rough times, they are going to need us, a group, to step up.”
“Venice High and the community is tight-knit,” Dobroski said. “We’re a family. When your family member is in trouble, you help them out.”
The football team and athletics department are hosting a stadium clean-up Wednesday at 9 a.m. in hopes of football returning to Venice High soon.