The Mudsock Youth Athletics program has long had first call on city athletic facilities, with parks such as Cyntheanne serving as a home field for its large youth soccer operation.
That long-standing arrangement will change under a new ordinance approved by the Fishers City Council.
The City of Fishers is partnering with Hamilton Southeastern Schools to consolidate management of school and city athletic facilities under a single director. Former HSE High School athletic director Jim Self will oversee the combined system, with his salary split between the city and the school district.
Under the newly approved ordinance, Mudsock will retain “priority” access to fields, but the city will assume control over scheduling and allocation. That change opens the door for additional organizations—including other soccer groups—to gain access to facilities.
The measure passed on a 6-1 vote, with Councilor Bill Stuart casting the lone dissenting vote.
Stuart raised concerns about provisions lowering the percentage of Fishers residents required for teams to use city facilities, which he said could fall to between 60% and 75% in some cases.
“What’s invariably going to happen on some of these travel teams is somebody’s going to be cut from Fishers to make room for someone else that isn’t paying taxes here,” Stuart said. “Philosophically, I have a problem with that.”
Mayor Scott Fadness defended the changes, saying the goal is to expand opportunities for youth participation in sports. He added that revenue generated from facility rentals would be directed into a dedicated fund to support and improve local sports programs.
City Councilor Todd Zimmerman, citing more than 30 years of coaching youth athletics, supported the ordinance, saying it would broaden access and participation.
Fadness also noted the policy could be revisited if problems arise.
Chief of Staff Jordin Alexander said the lower residency threshold would primarily apply to what she described as “emerging” sports, such as cricket.
The change drew criticism during Community Comment at the end of the Council session from Justin Burtner, president of Mudsock Soccer. Burtner argued the ordinance “should not have occurred” and said the proposal was advanced without sufficient community input.
He also accused the city of disadvantaging entry-level players, saying “we don’t have the funds to lobby the mayor’s office or the city to get exactly what we want.”
Burtner said the city’s message has shifted from allowing Mudsock to control access to prioritizing broader participation across multiple organizations.