Gross gets feet wet as new rec director

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent 
 
With the city no longer helping to fund the full-time recreation director position, the job was reduced to part time, causing a vacancy. However, the absence was recently filled by Teresa Gross when she was hired on Aug. 26 “to perform administrative and supervisory work, coordinating all phases of assigned recreation usage of school district facilities and special events,” according to the job description. 
Brad LaCroix, Weston County School District No. 1 superintendent, said that it can be difficult to find people in Wyoming to work part-time positions, but they had two “very qualified candidates.”
“We were very, very fortunate,” LaCroix said, explaining that some of the qualities needed for the job included people and organizational skills, ownership and the ability to juggle more than one thing at a time. 
“I like to organize things, and I think it’s important for kids to be active,” Gross said. “We have great facilities.” 
Gross said that she believes communication is key for this role and that is one of her strengths. 
Gross’ office is at the Kozisek Aquatic Center, and she is available there from 4 p.m. to around 8 p.m. (depending on the scheduled activities) Monday through Thursday. She’ll also be available on some weekends when there’s a need. 
LaCroix said the position required someone to help organize facility usage with “consistency and fairness.” The perception has been that the facilities aren’t used enough or that they are only used by the school, but the goal is for both the school and the community to have access to them, he said. 
Gross will serve as another “go-to person for communication and supervision” and will oversee the pool, weight room, gyms, wrestling room and Crouch Auditorium. 
For facility usage, the school has top priority followed by Eastern Wyoming College and community education. After that, Gross said that it’s a “first-come, first-serve” basis. 
As far as the rec budget, LaCroix said, the majority goes to the pool because it’s an expensive facility, but the money is also used for various requests of “contingency monies.” As an example, he said the Fall Guys wrestling program requested a new timing system, which the rec board was able to help with, and it’s something that can be shared and used by other groups. LaCroix said they want to “entertain those kinds of requests.” 
While Gross has just started, she already has some goals for the position. 
“In the future, I’d love to see a set time daily for any kid to come,” she said. Whether that be to shoot baskets or whatnot, Gross said she wants both kids and the rest of the community to be active and have fun. She said “free play” is as vital as sports, just “without the pressure of competition.” 
It’s “a place where kids can be active and not stay home playing video games,” she said.
“I think everyone’s vision is a YMCA deal,” LaCroix said. 
While constructing a new building is neither feasible nor necessary, the facilities can still be used like a YMCA as a “one-stop-shop for recreation,” he said. 
“I want it to benefit the community,” Gross said. “Not everybody’s going to be happy, but my goal is to be fair.”