To the editor:

Throughout all four years of my Barrington High School career I have run track. Track has been the backbone of my whole high school experience and it has brought me the most joy out of any sport I had participated in for the past four years. 

As the years went on I have noticed a consistent decrease in the total amount of athletes on the team and a decrease in the amount of attendance on the team.

I believe that the decreasing track conditions have contributed to this decline in interest in track. The track is where everything happens, every running event, every jumping event, and gym classes routinely hold classes on and around the track area. The track is a center piece of the whole school and I believe that one of the most essential parts of the school should be showcased in the best condition possible for other teams coming to participate and compete with the Eagles on our home turf.

The re-creation of the track would allow not only a safer playing field but also a more enjoyable one. Replacing surfaces, especially track surfaces, more routinely than grass is very important to athlete health. Since the grass is more forgiving than the track the grass on the inside of the track has broken down over time and the playing conditions for varsity games and school activities have decreased. With this reproduction of the field and the turf material I believe that the injuries of athletes will decrease through the better condition of the playing fields and track.

Although the football team brings in the most revenue of all the sports teams, both the girls and boys track teams consistently perform the highest out of any of the sports teams combined. And even though the price to create a new field and track will be a lot I believe in putting money towards the bettering of quite a bit of sports teams and the protection of many many athletes physical condition.

Considering all of this I believe that investing money into the track and football field is a very, very good idea because of the history that the track holds and the importance of having a nice clean athletic centerpiece for the school. 

I have invested 11 seasons through four years of high school to track and field and to see the re-creation of such an important part of my life would be beneficial to many, many people not only in the school but also throughout the town and community as well.

Grant H. Auber

Barrington