October 21, 2010

Railroaders’ new home court

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W hitehall Central School celebrated the completion of renovations to its junior/senior high school gymnasium floor with a pep rally and basketball game between the junior and senior class.

The event, held on Friday, Oct. 15, was the symbolic end to a project that started last spring and brought with it new lighting, seating and a new look to the gymnasium floor itself.

“I like what they did with the paint work in there,” said Superintendent James Watson. The work included an inverted key (inside the foul line not painted, outside to the three-point arch painted red) design and the word “Railroaders” painted in large letters along the sideline.

“It looks different; it gives it that college feel that you do not see around here,” said Watson. “I think that people can be very proud of what we have in there.”

“What an asset to the school this is going to be,” said athletic director Keith Redmond. “It is amazing to see something like this. I have been here for 21 years, and this is the best floor I have seen. I think that our gym will be the talk of the league.”

Watson said he is pleased that the main work is over, but there are still some smaller items that need to be taken care of.

“There are a few minor things that still have to be worked on and finished, but I am very confident that we will be all done with the work for the start of the winter sports season,” said Watson.

The major work was set to be done by the start of the school year, but Watson said there was some carryover work that needed to be done, interrupting some physical education classes during times of inclement weather.

Through it all, Watson said, the physical education teachers were able to work through the situation.

“I am very pleased and appreciate the staff and the cooperation from the gym teachers,” said Watson. “They have been very flexible in a situation where we hoped to be done by September, and they have had to make several sacrifices with the weather we have had. They really share in that responsibility of getting the workers in there and helping them get the job done.”