DAVID ALBERS / Staff

Shannon McFee, St. John Neumann alumnus and women’s basketball coach, led the effort over the summer break to raise $150,000 to remodel the school’s gymnasium.

More Collier Citizen School News

• Hawks on patrol at Corkscrew Middle School
• Class Notes: Thanks to Newell for work on referendum
• EES gives new meaning to ‘line dancing’

Tell us about it

• What would you add to this story? Tell us what we missed.
• Do you have photos from this event? Documents we need to see? Share with us.
• Upload photos & videos
• More ways to get your stuff online and in the paper.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

Share and Enjoy [?]

Shannon McFee knew where to look when he realized St. John Neumann’s gymnasium needed a facelift.

McFee, who was part of the high school’s first graduating class, has spent the past few years in the gymnasium working as the school’s basketball coach.

So, when it came time to raise money to renovate the gymnasium, he looked no further than the St. John Neumann family.

They answered the call, raising $150,000 to renovate the gymnasium, which now has a new maple floor, new tile in the locker rooms, motorized bleachers and a paint job that makes the new gym seem much brighter.

“The kids deserve it,” McFee said. “They sacrifice so much, as far as material things, to come to Neumann. It is great to give them a facility to match their spirit.”

McFee and Mike Stevens, another Neumann booster, started talking about renovating the gymnasium on June 7.

“We came up with a plan, researched what it would cost and asked friends to help us,” he said.

New Principal Denny Denison said McFee contacted him and asked if the renovations could be done.

“My family and I were on vacation for three weeks. He called me on the first day and 21 days later it was halfway done,” denison said.

Renovations to the gym began July 21 and crews worked to get the gym ready for this week’s return of students.

Donna Heiser, director of development for the school, said Golden Gate-based St. John Neumann had plans to renovate the gymnasium as part of Phase III of a $10 million capital campaign to improve the school.

McFee just sped up the process, she said.

In addition to raising $150,000 in donations, many who support the school donated labor and time to help with the project.

“The people I expected to step up, did,” McFee said. “This was built entirely by Neumann people. It is a special feeling. We are going to maintain some of the history by maintaining the old gym.”

McFee knows how important the gymnasium is and that, at Neumann, it is used for much more than gym classes or after-school sports. As a St. John Neumann student, he only got to use the gymnasium once, during his graduation in 1986. The gym was completed in April 1986.

McFee said the new gymnasium also will benefit the basketball team, which has been used to playing on a quarter-inch of rubber flooring over concrete.

“It is so much safer. We have a very aggressive style and on the old floor it could lead to a lot of wear and tear on their bodies,” he said. “I hope we don’t have some of the dead legs that we used to have at the end of the seasons.”

St. John Neumann junior Maddy Philbrick had one word to describe the gym.

“Amazing!” she exclaimed.

Junior Sarah McFee, Shannon’s daughter, said she was surprised at the work that had been done.

“I did not think it would happen this quickly,” she said.

But that seems about par for the course when it comes to their coach, said Valeria Gastaldello, 16.

“He’s the best,” she said. “He cares about the game (of basketball) and he loves us all. He is dedicated, very dedicated.”

Denison called the gymnasium a “wonderful gift.”

“It’s phenomenal,” he said.