Carson Duggar
On a brisk Monday morning the varsity boys soccer team convenes in the gym for their first of many 6:30 a.m. practices, due to overbooking the gym, since all five spring sports-boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and track-must share it as the winter months progress. At least two to four feet of snow and ice cover the local fields, which appear as if they won’t thaw anytime soon.
Boys soccer players start practice lamenting the situation and many don’t expect to play a single home game this season. This could become a serious problem once scheduled home games begin in about a month for Homer athletics as well as for many high schools throughout South Central Alaska. Coaches and players are left to wait patiently for the weather to change and spring to come to Alaska.
There is talk over whether plowing the fields or assigning crews to shovel them is necessary, but no steps have been taken so far. According to the Homer High Principal Dr. Gee, the City of Homer has been contacted and asked if they could remove snow for the upcoming season. However, they are already pressed for time since there is snow in need of removal in numerous other places. Gee also stated that the city is hesitant because the fields are Borough land, and the city would then be held liable if damage occurred to them during the process.
To make a large problem even worse, the Region Soccer Tournament will be held at Skyview this year, which could be a catastrophe if fields are unusable due to snow. And, with winter seemingly going no where, entire seasons could be up in the air.
Homer’s Athletic Director, Pam Newton concluded, “Now we must play the waiting game…”
The upper field at Homer High School.