The condition of Gavilan Community College’s women’s soccer and
women’s softball fields is dangerous and disgraceful.
The college has an agreement with the City of Gilroy to maintain
the fields, but they are not in playable condition. Gopher holes
are scattered about the fields, waiting to sprain an ankle
– or worse. The gopher holes are hidden in grass that is longer
than intercollegiate regulations specify.
The condition of Gavilan Community College’s women’s soccer and women’s softball fields is dangerous and disgraceful.
The college has an agreement with the City of Gilroy to maintain the fields, but they are not in playable condition. Gopher holes are scattered about the fields, waiting to sprain an ankle – or worse. The gopher holes are hidden in grass that is longer than intercollegiate regulations specify.
Gavilan Athletic Director Ron Hannon declared the fields unfit for play on Aug. 15, meaning that “home” games have to be played on the opposing team’s field – and the team is considering using Anzar High School’s fields in San Juan Bautista for practice. A recent “home” game against Fresno meant a four-hour round trip to play.
Gavilan officials point the finger of blame at the City of Gilroy.
“The things we needed to have happen to have the field ready this year didn’t happen,” Hannon told Gilroy Dispatch reporter Lori Stuenkel, noting that the City of Gilroy failed to have the fields in safe, playable condition for six months.
Not so fast, say Gilroy officials. They say their contract – in place since 1984 – requires that they keep the fields in condition suitable for recreational use, not intercollegiate play.
We’re not interested in the finger pointing and blame laying. We’re interested in relieving yet another black eye for Gavilan’s beleaguered athletic programs.
From Title IX problems to multiple questionable coaching personnel decisions, Gavilan doesn’t need to add unsafe fields to the list of athletic department embarrassments.
It’s ultimately Gavilan College’s responsibility to make sure its fields are safe and usable. If those fields are needed for intercollegiate play, it’s hard to see the sense in a contract that specifies they be maintained to a lower level.
Gavilan College trustees are expected to direct school administrators to ask South Valley voters to approve a $138 million bond. It’s hard to justify asking the community for money for new facilities when the college is not maintaining the facilities it currently has.
Voters will ask the same questions of Gavilan College officials. The best response would be for Gavilan officials to be able to point to well-maintained facilities, to an ounce-of-prevention-is-worth-a-pound-of-cure maintenance plan that is cost-effective and well-executed.
If the sorry state of the Gavilan women’s soccer and softball are any indication, that’s going to be hard to do.
Gavilan needs to show appreciation and respect for the investment the community has already made in the college by taking care of the assets it currently has.
Letting the athletic fields sink to their current state shows not only poor planning and management, but also a lack of respect for the school’s faculty, students and the community.
They all deserve better.
