Tamaqua Area School Board on Tuesday heard a proposal for a new wrestling facility which could include a free standing building on the school campus.

James McCabe, head wrestling coach, presented the proposal in which the boosters association would build a larger facility with its own funds from fundraising and donated materials and services.

The current wrestling room is 40-feet by 40-feet and the facility is just too tight, he said.

“I always wanted a bigger wrestling room, but never had the means,” said McCabe, who has taught at the school for 28 years and served as head wrestling coach for 20 years.

He came before the board to see if they would allow them to move the project forward and begin exploring locations.

Two possibilities include the area between the gymnasiums, where the J door entrance would be, and the other on the flat at the top by the cafeteria, McCabe said.

Superintendent Ray Kinder said they wanted the board’s blessing before they even started looking at estimated costs to see if a new facility would be feasible — even with the donated services.

A new wrestling facility would also ease some of the district’s storage issues by taking back space in the current wrestling room, he said.

The district would also be able to use the new facility for other sports or purposes, when wrestling wasn’t using it, Kinder said. Wrestling would have first priority, he said.

The building would become part of the school property, and would also have to meet all relevant code and aesthetics in line with the current property, Kinder said.

The Boosters are looking at feasibility and costs, he said.