By. Belen Ruiz-Silva
Before the bond passed in 2016, families in the Springwater community went door-to-door sharing information about the upcoming bond. They knew that the GBSD Oversight Committee had to prioritize other high schools, elementary schools, and middle schools who are a lot older in the Gresham-Barlow School District, but STHS families still went door to door hoping that later down the road their help would be reciprocated with a gym. Even if we didn’t get a gym, we would still be helping other schools. The much larger high schools got the support they needed, and that benefits the district; however, Springwater Trail High School struggles.
Springwater Trail High School offers and requires a physical education class, which is one of the many reasons why STHS need a proper gymnasium. Secondly, it’s Oregon and the weather most of the time doesn’t cooperate with our schedule and needs. Currently, we don’t even have a covered basketball area that could be used during P.E during fall, winter, and spring when the weather isn’t the best.
I chose to interview our principle, Ryan Blaszak, because I figured that he would have some insight, and it would be interesting to get his point of view. I asked if he understood the frustration students have with not having a gym. Mr. Blaszak said, “Yes absolutely, not only do I understand it but I understand the staff’s and Mr. Nagel’s [frustration]. Not only do I understand but we live it every day.” (For unfamiliar readers, Mr. Nagel is our health and physical education teacher).
Mr. Blaszak was a swimmer when he was in high school so he understands that extracurricular activities are important whether it’s sports or clubs. “It's extremely important for students to do what they’re passionate about and I think especially sports. Sports are a wonderful stress relief, and it’s positive for your body and positive for your mind.”
P.E without a gym?
Although we don’t have a gym, our physical education teacher, Mr. Nagel, is very creative in what he has his students do, and how he runs his class. Currently, he has his P.E. class in the cafeteria. How do you make P.E class work without a gym? He replied, “It's tough. Often times games are jerry-rigged with bungee cords, walls are constructed with lunch tables and games have to be modified for a less than ideal space. Some classes are big enough that they have to be split to accommodate all kids.”
One of the activities commonly played is classic dodgeball. Similar to when the class plays other activities, Mr. Nagel builds a wall surrounding the open space that is right next to a hallway. During the games, other students pass through the hall close by to get to their lockers, bathrooms, office, classes, etc. He builds these walls so that the balls don’t go flying out and hit one of the students/staff passing by. Even then it is not unexpected to walk by the "cafegymnasium" and have a football/dodgeball barley miss you. STHS has a weight room, and when it’s activity day about half of the class goes in there and does one or two rotation around the different weight activities, and the other half of the class stay in the cafeteria playing volleyball, Badminton, or indoor soccer (hover soccer ball or dodge ball).
When playing volleyball and dodgeball, it's important to be very cautious on how hard you throw the balls because of the classroom that are around the cafeteria. It’s very common to be in biology, chemistry, and art class and just hear the thump of a dodgeball hit against the door, and as you can imagine these classes are much more quiet versus a gym class. Most of the time while in biology, chemistry, and art class you can hear the screaming and laughing from the P.E class.
Extracurricular activities without a gym?
As you can imagine, practicing volleyball is a little rough because of the fact that we don’t have an actual gym. “A cafeteria doesn't meet the regulations. It doesn’t give us a proper practice experience,” said Jakob Mohr. Jakob has been on the volleyball team for three years now. The volleyball practices are right next to the computer lab which is used by people who need academic support after school. Students start warming up as soon as the bell rings at 2:30, so the balls that accidentally hit against the computer lab wall don’t make for a quiet environment that the students need and deserve since they’re staying after school on their own time to get the help they need. “We usually play music and talk very loud. I've also been on the opposite side in the computer lab. The fact that we don’t have a gym makes for a negative work area because the kids screaming and laughing disrupts me from doing my work.” When students are practicing, sometimes students and staff join who aren’t on the volleyball team and it’s usually fun, but they aren’t the best at playing the sport; when they join it takes away from proper practice time.
“There were a limited amount of times this year that we were allowed to go and practice at the Hogan Cedars Elementary School gym and I can tell you that it was a much better environment to practice at,” Jakob said. Over at Hogan Cedars, they have an actual court and their net meets regulations, meaning the net doesn’t hang low and has tight tension unlike the net used during the practices in the cafeteria. Players were able to practice only one time this year on a real court before their first game. Further, the net here does not meet regulations. Jakob said, “It’s very weak. Most people can just reach above the net without having to try very hard and it made it really easy for people to commit some foul plays while scrimmaging.”
Springwater Trail High School would highly benefit from a gym. Not only would it benefit the students using the gym, but it would also benefit others including the three classrooms in close proximity, and other students staying after school for academic support. I hope this article is eye opening and gives the perspective of students and staff on the struggle of STHS to those outside the walls of the school.