2008 Woodie Awards
Assumption has no place to run
Kelly Beeman
Issue date: 9/30/04 Section: Sports
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Just as the Assumption College students were getting back into the new school year, tragedy hit the Worcester area. WPI Sophomore Gregory Reeves was hit and killed at the corner of Salisbury Street and Park Avenue. Reeves was out jogging with two friends when a van struck him and took his life. If Reeves and his friends had chosen to run the school's track instead of the busy Worcester streets, then perhaps this tragedy could have been avoided.
While the Assumption community was still reeling from the tragic news, the Assumption College Athletic department announced the demolition of the outdoor track as part of the plans for the approximately three million dollar new athletic field. The athletic field will be used for the football and field hockey teams as well as the men's and women's soccer teams and lacrosse teams.
The loss of a track could pose a serious safety issues. The track here is freely used by the students and faculty, as well as the varsity sports teams for training. Training by sports team includes running the track, and without a track, where will the teams run? In addition, with no track, the Assumption College community will be forced to run the hectic Worcester city streets, especially the dangerous Salisbury Street area. The Assumption community will lose a valuable recreational area with the loss of the track.
The current track is not used for competitions or practices for the track team because it does not meet NCAA standards. The track team practices at near-by colleges, but does not have home competitions.
"We practiced last year at WPI and Worcester State if we needed the facilities," said Sophomore Carolyn Yeshulas. "We have high jump equipment and the lifting equipment, as well as the indoor track available to us."
Even without a track on campus, the team is still able to succeed. The women's and men's teams have been very successful. The women's cross country team recently placed first while the men placed second in a race on Saturday, September 25, 2004.
While the Assumption community was still reeling from the tragic news, the Assumption College Athletic department announced the demolition of the outdoor track as part of the plans for the approximately three million dollar new athletic field. The athletic field will be used for the football and field hockey teams as well as the men's and women's soccer teams and lacrosse teams.
The loss of a track could pose a serious safety issues. The track here is freely used by the students and faculty, as well as the varsity sports teams for training. Training by sports team includes running the track, and without a track, where will the teams run? In addition, with no track, the Assumption College community will be forced to run the hectic Worcester city streets, especially the dangerous Salisbury Street area. The Assumption community will lose a valuable recreational area with the loss of the track.
The current track is not used for competitions or practices for the track team because it does not meet NCAA standards. The track team practices at near-by colleges, but does not have home competitions.
"We practiced last year at WPI and Worcester State if we needed the facilities," said Sophomore Carolyn Yeshulas. "We have high jump equipment and the lifting equipment, as well as the indoor track available to us."
Even without a track on campus, the team is still able to succeed. The women's and men's teams have been very successful. The women's cross country team recently placed first while the men placed second in a race on Saturday, September 25, 2004.