Track to be redone during winter holiday break

More than 15 years have passed since the track has been replaced, and its worn-down conditions are becoming more and more apparent. However, much to the relief of frequent joggers and student athletes, the track will finally be resurfaced later this year.

The track will be resurfaced beginning in December on the week before finals and finished before students return from Winter Break.

“The track is badly in need of being resurfaced,” athletic director Tim Lugo said. “As you look around, there are numerous holes and patches that have been added to prevent injury while running, but were band-aids until a full project could be done.”

The scheduled time of the resurfacing is the best possible choice, due to the fact that it is during the off-season of track and cross country, and that the winter weather often discourages runners from training outdoors.

However, the boys’ and girls’ soccer seasons will be in full swing during the two weeks before finals when the track is set to be resurfaced, which may inconvenience the athletes, coaches and spectators.

Depending on the placement of the materials used for the resurfacing, the athletes may or may not be able to use the main field for practices or be able to host games.

This may prove discouraging for soccer players, but fortunately, they will continue to have access to the upper field to practice.

Lugo also said that this $25,000 project will be funded by Sports Boosters. The funds for this project are entirely composed of donations and fundraising; no district money will be used.

The red surface of the track will be taken off and substituted for a soft new covering. This new coating will provide an optimal surface for running, with more cushion and bounce.

The school is fortunate enough to have a synthetic track, due to the fact that many other nearby high schools, such as Lynbrook, only have tracks of dirt or gravel.

“Our [track] is definitely worn since most of our track meets are at home, but this is because most other schools have dirt tracks,” senior cross-country runner Eren Veziroglu said. “It will be a nice upgrade, one that is definitely welcome.”

With a new track, Saratoga will be able to continue hosting cross country and track meets, giving the runners a home track advantage.