Field hockey player thinks athletics fee is good idea
In response to Alex W. Bennett’s letter to the editor (“How can anyone think athletics fee is good?,” Wednesday), I agree with the one-time $300 athletics fee. This fee would give athletics enough money to re-turf Kelly/Shorts Stadium. Not everyone agrees where Central uses its money (i.e. wordmark), but I believe that new turf is desperately needed.
Playing on the turf myself since August 2000, the field has seen better days. The color is faded; the turf is flattened; the numbers are sinking in; and the stitching holding (or not holding) the turf is exposing or missing. All this makes playing on the turf very difficult.
Bennett stated that football doesn’t deserve this luxury because of their less than fortunate records. Do you need a winning record to replace old, worn-out turf? Let me inform you that Central’s field hockey team practices on that field just as much as football. We were MAC champs in 2002, and while this year we may not be in first place, we are winning games. Plus, we are sending one of our captains, Tarah Trottier, to the All-Star Game in Massachusetts. Are we at least deserving of a decent field?
Replacing the old turf is simply up-keeping CMU’s existing facilities. I can’t guarantee more winning games, touchdowns or seasons about .500, but then again, new carpet in the classrooms on campus won’t raise your GPA or make you a better student.
There are technology fees, SAC fees, library fees, programming fees, campus improvement fees; the list goes on and on. Each of these fees goes into making this institution better, whether or not you take advantage of what those fees go to pay for. Next time you feeling like declaring a team undeserving, try to think outside of your narrow-minded football world.
