Nicole Bagala ‘20

Editor-In-Chief     

Athletes Excited Over Track and Field Center Opening

Remember how miserable it was for athletes to work out in the frigid temperatures during the winter? Thanks to the new Bethel High School Track and Field Center, running in artic temperatures or sloshing around outside on rainy days is a thing of the past!  

     For the past year,  you have probably felt the floor of classrooms closet to the new Track and Field Center rumble as workers drilled and hammered during the construction of the new facility.      

     On January 1 there was an open house for the Bethel High School Track and Field Center, where students, faculty and community members came together to take some laps around the 200-meter track on the mezzanine level.

     In an e-mail sent by Dr. Carver, she explained that in order to promote health and wellness, the center will be open to employees during public hours. Public hours are Monday-Friday from 6 -7 a.m., Saturday and Sunday from 12-2 p.m and 9-2 during the day if employees want to walk or run during lunch or breaks. 

     “The purpose is to provide a dedicated facility for track and field training,” explained Coach Fontaine. “But it is also used for cheerleading, wrestling practice, public walking, ROTC training, storage and it may be a home for band camp this August.”

     The Track and Field Center is great for teachers and coaches, as they will now have an alternate space to hold classes or practices, but the new building has mostly benefited track athletes.

     “In years past, training outside was fine but very cold,” said track athlete Yee-Kuan Ng ‘20. “We couldn’t pole vault and we really couldn’t do any of the field events outside. With the Track House, we can now do the field events whenever we need to and not have to go to the Danbury Sports Dome to practice.”  

     Fellow track athletes, like Azmir Shah ‘20 and Captain Robert Doyle ‘20, agree that the Track Center is a positive improvement for winter training.

     “Because of the track house, we have gotten faster and air quality is better for running,” said Doyle.

     “It is positive not only for BHS track athletes but for all athletes in Bethel to train and improve,” Shah added.

     For public access to the Bethel Track and Field Facility, Bethel residents who are 18 years or older must fill out the registration form and pay the annual fee of $25. Anyone using the new facility must wear athletic shoes.