For many years Triton High School athletic teams, including boys and girls, always relied on the¨tunnel¨ as a place to store their athletic equipment for practice before the day started. 

This has been a process that would prepare athletes quickly for their practices and games; an efficient, easy way to stay organized and ready for a game. 

Recently the athletic administration has disallowed students from putting their equipment in the tunnel due to student safety concerns as well as administrators. The changes have been made following the new order the athletic director sent out in an email two weeks ago. 

The changes were made for safety concerns, administrators said, adding that there needs to be a clear pathway for medical emergencies and for people to go in and out of the building quickly.

In an article written by the National Fire Protection Association with building safety protocol, the authors state that “hallways and large spaces need to have clear passageways that must remain unobstructed to ensure safe evacuation during an emergency.” However, as there needs to be safety for everyone around the building, there also needs to be another section around the area for the student athletes, especially underclassmen, to put their belongings.  

If the tunnel is now off limits for athletes, there needs to be a new, organized area for underclassmen who don’t have a vehicle to put their equipment. There should also be a clean, open and easily-accessible locker room every day for both boys and girls. 

As of right now, locker rooms are open in the morning and after school but sometimes students are not able to access them because  they are locked up. Additionally, the girls locker room is on the 3rd floor and farthest away from the field, while the boys have 3 locker rooms downstairs that might not be in use within the season. 

Ayden Schmitt, a junior at Masconomet High School, explained what a different high school does for their athletic equipment. 

“During football season I usually put all my equipment in the area of the school that is basically a large locker room but filled with just student equipment that is off to the side of the athletic area.” 

Students are wondering if Mr. McKenna Triton’s athletic director sees this as going to be an ongoing thing for the future years or just for now?

  Mr. McKenna Triton athletic director made a new decision that all equipment should be out of the Tunnel and mainly just a walking area to get from inside to outside the building. 

In the email that was sent to all coaches at Triton Mr. McKenna explained the specific reason: “While this has not necessarily been a problem – we have had an increase in theft on campus this year.”

Personally, I have played a large variety of sports at Triton including volleyball, basketball and lacrosse. For every practice and game I have consistently put my equipment in the tunnel and it was the easiest way to get ready quickly before a practice and game. Instead of having to put my equipment in the locker rooms that aren’t always open. 

Although all these reasons are reasonable and understandable, there needs to be a middle ground of where to leave equipment. During the new school a room with lockers for both boys and girls, or just leaving a certain space just for athletics.