Eagle Scout project goes life-size with human foosball court

by Dan Holland

Independence Middle School recently welcomed the addition of a new human-sized foosball court to its campus over the summer. The court, which will have an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 4, is available for students and community members to use.

Bryanna LeRoy, a junior at Independence High School, created the 50-foot-by-25-foot court over the summer as a community service project requirement as part of earning Eagle Scout status in the Boy Scouts of America program.

As a Life Scout in BSA Troop 811 in Independence, Bryanna garnered the idea from similar courts she had seen while attending Scout camp.

“There are two local council camps we go to, and each one has a human foosball court just like the one I built,” she explained. “Everyone loved them at camp, so I wanted to bring it back to the middle school that I used to go to. When I approached the school with the idea, they were really excited about it. They thought it was a cool idea since they had never seen one before, and they wanted to help me earn my Eagle.”

Bryanna became involved in Scouting in early 2019, a passion in which her three younger siblings have all followed her.

Material costs were estimated at around $4,000 and just over $3,000 in donations were received. However, local companies including Home Depot and Paramount Concrete & Construction donated many of the materials, such as lumber and concrete, which made up the difference.

Fellow Scouts and numerous friend assisted Bryanna in constructing the court, which took six weeks to complete.

The court is surrounded by a four-foot-high wooden fence with a section cut away at both ends, which acts as the goal. Eight stainless steel cables with movable PVC coverings, which players hold onto during play, simulate the tabletop game. The playing surface consists of mulch laid on top layers of sand and clay that were provided and leveled by the city.

The response to the project has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Bryanna.

“There’s been a lot of excitement over it,” she said. “A couple of the kids in our troop are middle school-aged, so they were really eager to help build it, and then be able to play on it since they would soon be starting the school year. The principal is really excited as well; he’s been really supportive of the idea and glad that we were able to finish it before the school year began.”

“The project of putting together the human foosball court is and was a vision that I am so proud to say was led through the mind and heart of Bryanna,” said Independence Middle School Principal Jamie Vanek. “She took the time to put together a plan and met with me step-by-step, communicating every little detail. She met with key stakeholders, including our head of maintenance, assistant superintendent, custodian, members of the city and others, to make sure all were understanding of this great project she would be undertaking.”

In addition to Scouting, Bryanna keeps busy as a member of the high school’s cross country, soccer, swimming and softball teams. She hopes to pursue a career in the medical field following graduation.

“Bryanna is a great example of, if you have a goal and you see it all the way through, then good things can and will happen,” added Vanek. “We are all very proud of her and so thankful for this great experience that she provided for the IMS students for many years to come.” ∞