BUFFONE: Shannock Program Loses Gym

For the past couple decades, the only operational and regulation size gym available to the Shannock Valley Youth Basketball Program was the one residing in the former Shannock Valley High School…until now. The Armstrong School District has allegedly decided to stop heating the building as well as ceasing other utilities. The former high school is currently acting as the district’s maintenance building. The alleged decision will now force the eight youth teams that Shannock Valley Elementary has (boys/girl grades 3-6) to play all away games and potentially practice in the elementary gym that is much smaller than a regulation court. As a youth coach and sports enthusiast, this alleged decision by the ASD irks me to a level beyond explanation. With the current school board, I have heard strong backing of the ideal of renovations and preserving small communities. Well now I see that the current board does in fact care about small communities, as long as it’s their own small communities. I understand the costs of electricity and heating in the winter, however, I’ve heard an awful lot about gym renovations for the past year and not a speck of attention given to this situation. The parents of Shannock Valley Elementary have politely stood by during these renovation talks while their own children’s school hasn’t had a legitimate renovation since the early 1970’s. In a time where it’s being stressed that young children need after-school activities to keep them out of trouble and fight obesity, the powers at be tell the kids and their already busy parents that they won’t have a home gym this year and having a set practice schedule will not be an option. With numbers already dwindling in the youth basketball program, this could be the fatal blow that may keep young athletes from playing a sport they love. Once again, another decision has been made without thinking about the children.