Alexandria area sports teams could have a new place to practice next fall, as the NorthStar Group will break ground on a 70,000-square-foot sports complex next week.
The 40-acre area, which also is home to NorthStar Christian Academy, will house a facility with a field house, hockey rink and a chapel, with room for future expansion.
The sports complex will include an indoor soccer field, batting cages, golf hitting bays and a hockey arena.
“We are so excited for our community to have much needed access to indoor facilities that support a variety of sports,” Mark Jenson, chairman of the sports complex board, said in a news release. “We want to offer a safe place where athletes can come to train while being uplifted by servant leaders and coaches.”
The hockey arena will be the national headquarters for hockey for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“It will serve as the hub for FCA hockey,” Jenson said. “FCA will have a number of programs, including camps during the summer, the normal youth boys and girls camps, and junior, college and pro camps.”
The sports complex will have seating for between 250 and 400 people. Jenson says one hope is that youth hockey tournaments can be held there.
The sports complex is being funded by private donors and will be a non-profit organization.
A groundbreaking ceremony open to the public will be held at 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16, outside NorthStar Christian Academy, at 3888 Pioneer Road Southeast, Alexandria. Coffee, hot chocolate and cookies will be served and the public is invited to ask questions about the facility.
“Our hope is to have it finished next fall,” Jenson said. “We’re really excited for it. A lot of people have been involved. They have a heart for this and are donating funds. … It’s going to be really cool for our community.”
NorthStar Christian Academy opened in 2016, neighboring Alexandria Area High School. It allows students to use “release time” hours allowed by the Minnesota Department of Education. Students can attend up to three hours per week of religious release time studies as allowed by Minnesota law, according to the academy’s website.
The NorthStar Group describes itself as being made up of men and women committed to investing in academic development, physical training and spiritual enrichment of students and athletes. The group does this by incorporating Christian principles into education, sports and mentoring through quality coaches.
