Facilities unfairly off limits to students

Each weekend, middle-aged men—many of them fathers—walk into the school gymnasium wearing dri-fit tops and perforated athletic shorts. Seemingly an innocuous instance of pickup basketball, this weekly game shows the unfairness in the treatment of adults and students when it comes to school facilities.

According a strict interpretation of school policy, no group is allowed access to the gym without previous renting time out. The administration claims that although these men have not rented it out, a tacit agreement with the school allows them to use the facilities. Perhaps more egregious than permitting these men to use school facilities during off-hours, however, are the strict regulations barring students from using these facilities.

The administration points to the liability as the primary reason that student athletes are prohibited from using school facilities without supervision. However, inconsistencies exist in this rule. Why, for example, are adults allowed to use these facilities. The administration claims that there is no liability issue at hand for these adults but who’s to say these adults won’t sue if something wrong with the court leads to a serious injury?

Additionally while baseball players like senior Will Dennis have been kicked off the field for playing catch or taking ground balls, football players are always allowed to practice on the football field.

The administration says the football field is open to the public because of it is made out of turf and resistant to damage, while the baseball field can be easily damaged due to misuse. However, it seems unfair that school athletes are prohibited to use facilities unless they are “open” because students should be encouraged to practice their sport.

Basketball players like junior Alex Wang have been told to leave the gym when it is not considered “open” for athletes to use. Although it would seem that the school would encourage extra practice, the opposite seems to be true.

These inconsistencies seem strange and unusual but is the main reason some facilities are allowed to be used and some aren’t.

Instead of prohibiting students to use these facilities, the administration should find more ways to allow athletes and Saratoga residents to use the facilities of the school in harmony.

It’s not only unfortunate that non-students can find ways to use facilities while school athletes are sometimes forced to leave but also that students who try to practice a sport are booted off certain facilities. The administration needs to assume consistency, and achieve a compromise that should give its own student athletes permission to use facilities at a reasonable and convenient time.