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Published on 08/24/1998 All articles from this issue

A bump in the road

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By Pete Borello

Town Crier Staff Writer

Gym renovations force high school volleyball teams to alter schedules

The volleyball teams at Los Altos and Mountain View highs won't be able to fully enjoy the confines of home this fall.

The gyms at both schools remain under construction, forcing the teams to play and practice at alternate sites until the dust clears.

Improvements to Mountain View's main gym should be finished by Sept. 14, according to athletic director Barbara Kaufman. The small gym is set to re-open this week, Kaufman said.

Los Altos won't be so lucky. Athletic director Monica Lodge said she doesn't expect renovations to the main gym to be completed until January. That stretches beyond the volleyball season and into the beginning of basketball.

The small gym will be ready way before that. Los Altos should be able to hold practices there by Sept. 14, according to Lodge.

In the meantime, the Eagles are practicing in a modest little gym behind the Covington School site on Rosita Avenue.

"It's definitely not luxurious," Lodge said, "but at least we can use it for as long as we need to."

Los Altos has arranged to play its home games at Gunn High in Palo Alto. Lodge is still putting together the schedule since she has to make sure Gunn isn't playing home games on the same days as Los Altos.

Mountain View hasn't had to rearrange any of its games, Kaufman said, because she didn't scheduled any home matches the first two weeks of the season. The Spartans' first home game is Sept. 17 against Lynbrook.

The only thing Kaufman had to move off-campus was the first week of practice, which was held at Blach Junior High in Los Altos Aug. 24-28.

"It's an inconvenience, but it's well worth it" Kaufman said. "The gym's going to look great when it's done."

Mountain View's gym is getting new lights and a paint job. The bathrooms are being remodeled and the drinking fountains (which were causing water damage to the gym) are moving outside the gym. The gym floor is in the process of being stripped, realigned and refinished.

Los Altos' gym, which is older, is getting a more extensive face lift. Lodge said it will "look like a new gym" when its done. The gym will be re-painted and have a new floor, ceiling and bleachers. A new trophy case is also being constructed.

Look for the Town Crier's volleyball preview next week.