2008 Woodie Awards
Dear Sports Fans...
Commentary: Dear Track and Field enthusiasts,
Frankie Guros
Issue date: 3/14/08 Section: Sports
It's about time.
We have a track facility. A nice, multi-million dollar stadium and artificial track and field on our own campus. And it's awesome.
But I'm not satisfied.
I will say that I was elated to see our own track athletes competing last Friday, because up until that point I had no proof that any of them were actually competing on the team. I mean, they said they were track and field athletes, but the only time I've seen them in uniform is for team picture day.
It's great that they can finally be like the other teams in our conference, and pretty much every other team in the country, and practice right here at the university they signed up to compete for. I know how it feels to not have a home field. I went through that last year with the baseball team.
But to not have a home field for over 40 years? It's downright ridiculous.
So excuse me if I'm not jumping for joy because now I can actually go watch my peers win races instead of just waiting for the results online.
This is a step in the right direction - obviously. But the point is that it took this long to get a facility that just about every other institution our size has.
Are we really so poor that it took almost half a century to get the money to upgrade Lincoln Park?
Or is the problem more basic: athletics are not a priority at Pacific.
We are surely have one of the most underfunded athletic departments in the conference. I haven't seen the budgets, but look at what our teams wear or the facilities other schools have and it should become blatantly clear.
So although I see the new facilities at Lincoln Park as victories for athletes, they are bittersweet ones.
There's still more to accomplish. We still don't have a full team that competes in every event.
I want more. I don't want to sit back and say that Lincoln Park is the best that we can do. Our athletic department still has a lot to do to be up to par with the other schools in our conference.
Keep demanding more.
Sincerely,
Unsatisfied Athlete
We have a track facility. A nice, multi-million dollar stadium and artificial track and field on our own campus. And it's awesome.
But I'm not satisfied.
I will say that I was elated to see our own track athletes competing last Friday, because up until that point I had no proof that any of them were actually competing on the team. I mean, they said they were track and field athletes, but the only time I've seen them in uniform is for team picture day.
It's great that they can finally be like the other teams in our conference, and pretty much every other team in the country, and practice right here at the university they signed up to compete for. I know how it feels to not have a home field. I went through that last year with the baseball team.
But to not have a home field for over 40 years? It's downright ridiculous.
So excuse me if I'm not jumping for joy because now I can actually go watch my peers win races instead of just waiting for the results online.
This is a step in the right direction - obviously. But the point is that it took this long to get a facility that just about every other institution our size has.
Are we really so poor that it took almost half a century to get the money to upgrade Lincoln Park?
Or is the problem more basic: athletics are not a priority at Pacific.
We are surely have one of the most underfunded athletic departments in the conference. I haven't seen the budgets, but look at what our teams wear or the facilities other schools have and it should become blatantly clear.
So although I see the new facilities at Lincoln Park as victories for athletes, they are bittersweet ones.
There's still more to accomplish. We still don't have a full team that competes in every event.
I want more. I don't want to sit back and say that Lincoln Park is the best that we can do. Our athletic department still has a lot to do to be up to par with the other schools in our conference.
Keep demanding more.
Sincerely,
Unsatisfied Athlete
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