Spencerport athletics undergoes home improvements

The Spencerport school district is in the process of undergoing a major overhaul to its athletic fields and facilities, which is proving a challenge for coaches, players, fans and planners to coordinate around.

Athletic Director John Pelin lists the following projects due to be completed and in use by the fall 2003 or 2004 season:

At the high school

• two teams rooms (M/F) with 55 lockers each for football, wrestling, lacrosse, girl’s soccer and girls’ basketball
• classrooms
• Booster Club indoor concession stand
• auditorium
• increased parking
• all-weather track surrounding new football field with press box
• two football/boy’s lacrosse practice fields
• six soccer/girl’s lacrosse practice fields
• four softball fields
• ten tennis courts

At the middle school

• locker roo
• team rooms
• fitness room
• second gymnasium

At the new elementary school

• new gymnasium

With construction, most teams have been forced to move practices and games. The girl’s swim team practiced for two weeks at Oak Hill from 7 to 9 a.m. and now train at Roberts Wesleyan College. The girls’ tennis team is practicing and playing the whole season at Roberts. Boy’s volleyball spent their preseason at Ogden Recreation. The football team is practicing and playing games at Trowbridge School. Football modified A&B is sharing an 80-yard practice field and is playing games at Pineway Ponds. Girls’ soccer practices at Munn elementary while boy’s soccer is at Bernabi elementary. Modified A and 9th grade boy’s and girl’s soccer is at Taylor Elementary while 7th and 8th grade soccer is at Pineway Ponds.

"All things considered, things are going very smoothly," said Pelin. "We have had many meeting’s with the coaches and the athletes about safety and logistics. We’ve had great cooperation from all including the elementary school principals and the transportation department - it’s been a great team effort."

The cheerleaders and all physical education classes must be held indoors all year long, which has necessitated a change in the curriculum. And, on top of the planned rescheduling, a transformer blew at the main soccer field September 4 forcing rescheduling of games and unplanned repair expenses. "We hope to get the power back up, but we may need to move the varsity games to 4:30 p.m. for the near future until we get things working again."

The changes also involve budgeting for shuttle buses and rent for such facilities such as the Roberts Wesleyan pool and tennis courts. Many of the improvements will be ready next year, but those involving the seeding of grass fields will need a full growing season. The new football field will have sod and an underground irrigation system, so it is scheduled to be ready next fall.

For the coming year, the word is call ahead. "Our athletics hotline number is 349-5070. It’s updated every day at 9 a.m. and any changes will be listed after 2 p.m.," said Pelin.