WILLIAMSBURG
The foundation of any high school athletics in a community begins with its youth, and Williamsburg is investing in that generation and future athletes — and, in turn, the well-being of a small Clermont County town.
That’s where the new Williamsburg Junior Athletic Association Sports Complex comes in. This nearly 12,000-square-foot facility houses practices and, possibly someday, games for youth in baseball, softball, cheer, basketball, soccer and volleyball.
“The kids just think it is something cool, and hopefully when they get a little bit older, they’ll finally realize how special this place actually was during their generation’s heyday of youth sports,” WJAA President Josh Clifton said.
The facility at 3759 Old State Route 32 in Williamsburg sits next to the city limits sign facing Mount Orab, and across the street from the town’s water tower. For decades, the WJAA had shared space with high school and junior high athletics at the Old Williamsburg High School.
WJAA board meetings used to be held in the uncomfortable outdoors. Now, the nonprofit owns a facility that lets it be self-sufficient. WJAA can now offer year-round sports for youth under state-of-the-art conditions.
“When you think about our board meetings at this time of year, we would be having board meetings at our picnic tables, swatting mosquitoes and sitting in the dark,” WJAA Vice President Rachel Chase said. “Now, we have this place to have our meetings, just simple things like that have made a big difference for us.”
“The impact that this place is going to have is well beyond our years here,” basketball rep Jason McCarthy added.
A FIX IN NEED
Since its inception in the early 1980s, the WJAA has been made up of ballfields. During this period, the organization had to rely on the Williamsburg Local School District to host indoor activities.
“It has always been a desire for 20 or 30 years — it’s always been an agenda item under the wish list of things that the organization wants to do to become self-sufficient — being able to have an indoor place for kids to be able to practice,” Clifton said.
Previously, options for local organizations and clubs to gather were limited in Williamsburg. They could meet at Williamsburg Junior Senior High School or reserve a spot at the village hall, highlighting the need for a new community space.
To be self-sufficient, the WJAA Sports Complex included a conference room for meetings and for local groups to rent as needed, Clifton said.
But there’s a story behind the WJAA’s conference room.
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