The success of the fourth annual Eastbay SPARQ Football Camp, held for first time in Stevens Point on Saturday, is a sign of big things to come for Goerke Field, say local leaders and camp organizers.

More than 200 high school athletes from across Wisconsin attended. Athletes were tested on the five SPARQ performance elements -- space, power, agility, reaction and quickness. The camp was free to registered athletes. Participants were tested and later trained by SPARQ trainers in the 40-yard dash, peak-power vertical jump, 20-yard shuttle run and kneeling power-ball toss.

Stevens Point Mayor Andrew Halverson called Eastbay's decision to hold the event, which had been in Wausau, in Stevens Point a sure sign that Goerke's turf is paying off.

"This represents the first definite example of a large event that is here specifically because of the investment the city and collectively the community made in that artificial turf field," Halverson said, adding he expects even bigger events there in the future.

Last year, the field received new turf at a cost of about $1.1 million, receiving money both from the city and from the private sector. The new turf is part of a $1.8 million project at the stadium that includes a new scoreboard and work on the locker rooms.

Scott Neale, director of sales for Eastbay and a camp organizer, said the company was so impressed with the field and the "outstanding" hospitality of the community that there is good chance SPARQ will choose to hold the camp at Goerke next year as well.

Leaving the field Saturday with his father at his side, Abbotsford High School senior Luke Ewert said he was glad he attended. Ewert, starting quarterback for his football team, was joined by his brother and two other Abbotsford players.

"We couldn't find a fifth man to get rated as a team, but we came down to find out our stats," Ewert said, adding that, for the most part, he was happy with his scores. "I was kind of hoping to beat my brother in some of them, though," he said.

One of Stevens Point Area Senior High football's most important contributors, an all-state performer, has become the latest local prep talent to say yes to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

UW-Stevens Point coach John Miech has announced Nick Winch will be a part of the 2009 freshman class.

Winch will be listed as a fullback, but he will play more of an H-back, kind of a hybrid tight end and fullback. Miech feels Winch's ability to play multiple positions was a drawing point.

Winch looks forward to being used in whatever ways the Pointers coaches see fit.

"The coaching staff was great, that's what really drew me," Winch said. "When I think about my future, I think about myself being a UWSP Pointer. It's hard to think about being something else."

Winch (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) has spent a lot of time in the backfield for SPASH, but he stood out most in high school as a lineman.

The organization that oversees Wisconsin high school athletics is suing for the right to control the use of all photos, video and news coverage of postseason events.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association is asking a Portage County judge to rule that the organization has the right to "control the transmission, Internet stream, photo, image, film, videotape, audiotape, writing, drawing or other depictions or description" of high school games.

The WIAA makes the claim in a lawsuit filed against Gannett Co. Inc., the parent company of the Stevens Point Journal, and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association for allegedly infringing upon its exclusive media ownership rights.

The proposed football-only configuration between the Wisconsin Valley, Mississippi Valley and Big Rivers Conferences won't be considered by the WIAA administration as a viable option.

The proposal was never brought before the WIAA Board of Control for a vote, however, due to the group's reluctance to support a football-only conference in the state.

"It was something that we (the conferences) were talking about, but when (WIAA executive director) Doug (Chickering) took a look at it being football-only, and everything, he said, 'No, we're not going to do it,'" D.C. Everest athletic director Jack Overgaard said.