The head boy’s track coach has vehemently protested a proposed new track for Mohican Falls High School. In a recent interview with a Teacher Times reporter, he suggested that with a new track comes winning expectations. “Just take a look at the soccer program”. He went on to say that since the new soccer stadium has been built the soccer program has steadily improved. “That puts a lot of pressure on coaches in other programs to be successful if they get something new. I don’t think that is a good thing because I always have low expectations and enjoy surpassing them.”

The cost of an 8-lane polyurethane track will run in the neighborhood of $325,000. This would be the cost of the salary and benefits package of roughly 5-6 teachers, or roughly the cost for a consulting firm to advise the school district on how to save $325,000. While the school board has proposed eliminating 5 teachers to build the track, the teachers union has filed a grievance, which is something they enjoy doing. A full renovation of Central Office would also cost in the neighborhood of $325,000, which (as usual) would also elicit a response from the union.

While the track program has experienced consistent success despite the lack of a usable track, the success usually comes unexpectedly and therefore as a pleasant surprise. The track coach added, “If we lose, I can blame it on the poor facility. If we win, we do it despite the poor conditions we must deal with. With a poor track it really is a win-win situation for us.”