To the Editor:

As a student athlete, I can say that having a sense of community during a sports game helps encourage every team member to play their hardest. After a year of crazy practice arrangements, limited spectators, and quarantines, there’s nothing better than to come together again and support our school’s sports teams.

Although I’m unable to vote in this upcoming election for the Guilderland School District capital project, I am very much in support of it and will try my hardest to make an impact.

Teams feel the best and play the best on their own field, with a crowd cheering them on. Having the support of your family and friends in the bleachers makes all the difference out on the field.

The Guilderland junior-varsity and varsity field hockey team has to shuttle 15 minutes to our “home” field every practice and home game. This commute is often difficult for friends and family of players, rather than an easy trip to a field at the high school. It would be amazing to be able to play on our surface of choice at our own school.

The vast majority of the other school districts Guilderland plays during a sports season have access to a home field that is synthetic turf. This means that these schools practice, play, and are used to this type of surface. In order for Guilderland sports like football, lacrosse, soccer, and field hockey to have an equal chance against these teams, we would need the same type of field.

The installment of synthetic turf is only a small fraction of this capital project as a whole. There are things like places for outdoor classes to take place and new playground equipment for elementary schools. With extra safety precautions still in place from the pandemic, having access to outdoor facilities will help keep both students and faculty safe. In addition to being safe, physical-education classes will benefit from the turf, being able to use it in their classes.

Playing sports during a time like this has proven to be unpredictable, and different from any other year. With many things on the fence or ready to be canceled, having brand new and ready-to-use facilities is the type of dependability students and athletes would love to see.

Morgan Blanchard

Guilderland

Editor’s note: Morgan Blanchard is a 10th-grade student at Guilderland High School.