Cutting of Indoor Track in FairCo

Last year we (the track community) had to deal with the possible elimination of Indoor Track, along with gymnastics and swimming, for the 2009-2010 school year. Fortunately there was enough support from the community that not only track, but all other sports were sparred the chopping block. Next year isn't looking as hopeful. Obviously there are budget cuts galore that will be happening, not just in terms of school sports but also the removal of Fairfax County's payment for all students AP classes plus many more changes besides. Education comes first and foremost, but the county's job is to meet the needs and provide for its students. Cutting freshman teams and entire sports in general removes scholarship opportunities for those gifted enough to be able to participate in sports across the country, frees up time for students to participate in less respectable activities, removes incentives for students to keep grades up, the list goes on. Here at Herndon, the track coaches refuse to let anyone join the team with D's or F's on their report card. That means every student has to have atleast a C- in ALL their classes.

Writing on this blog will do nothing in the fight to save indoor track, but it does provide me with a place to vent frustration that those who run track with me this year and who are not seniors will not enjoy the same 4 years that I was able to experience. Running track is time consuming and difficult, but it has been an immense force in shaping me as a person, and the removal of that would change me. I will (hopefully) be continuing onto the college level of sports at William and Mary to run cross country and track at D1 level, not with any scholarships, but the opportunity is there as a result of being able to constantly train all year round, including during the winter season with indoor track. Fairfax County, please don't cut sports. That is all.