By Dan King
Until this year, Whitehall High School was the only school in the country with a bobsled club, and school officials want to bring it back.
“We’re the only school district in the country that offers this,” said Superintendent Liz Legault. “I’d really like to see it come back. We’re trying to get the younger kids, especially middle school kids involved.”
Legault said that the number of students interested in the club was down this year. However, some board members thought that the small numbers should still be enough to keep the club operating, especially since the club still has funds in its budget.
“We had two kids go up to Lake Placid on their own for it,” said board member Sam Kingsley. “I think that should have been enough to have a van bring them.”
Legault said she wasn’t even aware that two Whitehall students went up to the bobsledding event in Lake Placid. She added that last year, she went to the event, because she knew it was occurring and she knew there were Railroaders participating.
“I went up last year, it’s a great thing for our students,” she said.
Board member Mark DeLuca has been a big proponent of keeping the club going and said, “I’d really like to see it continue.”
Legault said the district still has all of its equipment for the club, including a practice sled, which is essentially a real bobsled, except on wheels. The sled gets used on a ramp, which Legault said is currently being constructed by Keith Sayers, the head of grounds for the district.
Additionally, Legault said she would like to see the ramp proudly displayed at the school, “showing we’re the only school in the country with this program.”
The program – which has yielded a U.S. National Team member and Olympic-hopeful in Codie Bascue – has come to a grinding halt this school year because of what some officials saw as a lack of interest.
“I hope we can generate some interest, maybe bring Codie (Bascue) in to the school to get students excited and show what this program can do,” Legault concluded.