Since the school opened in 2005, the aquatics program has been using the same scoreboard. It has had parts repaired and replaced since 2011. Due to its age and constant use, the scoreboard has become inoperable. It no longer turns on and isn’t compatible with the multiple sports that require it, such as swim, water polo and dive. The program currently uses a temporary rented scoreboard that only holds a score for a single lane.
“The old [scoreboard] was really bad,” men’s varsity water polo captain Oleks Voievodin said. “It’s always nice to see all the details and when it’s all crisp and easy to see the details, it’s very helpful for the scoreboard to be up to date and easy to read.”
Coaches and athletes have been working to raise money for a new, permanent scoreboard that would be similar to the one at Rocklin High School. Families of swimmers and water polo players and the new Nugget Market that will be located by school next year have donated money. The program is also waiting to secure a potential donation from Placer Valley Tourism. Women’s JV water polo player and swimmer Roxie Jahn shared her experience watching the program try to fundraise as much as possible by sending live links to the community and asking local businesses for donations.
“I thought we raised enough money but apparently not,” Jahn said. “We raised around $10,000. It’s a ridiculous amount of money, because they have to uproot the [old scoreboard], and then they have to lay new concrete.”
Although they haven’t raised enough to purchase the new scoreboard, every donation gets them closer. Though, multiple aquatic athletes have been frustrated as they feel like the aquatics program isn’t getting enough recognition compared to other sports, like turf sports.
“My dad goes to board meetings, and [apparently] they are going to spend like three million dollars to replace the whole turf on the football field, because it’s been causing problems,” Jahn said. “But then they won’t put any money towards helping us get a new scoreboard, so it’s kind of annoying.”
Despite the obstacles, the aquatics coaches, players, parents and supporters are continuing to push for equal fundraising between sports programs in Rocklin United School District board meetings.
“Fundraising only can help so much,” Coach Kelsey Carrigan said. “[A new scoreboard would] allow the game[s] to flow easier, but [it also] would be [a way to] represent Whitney High School [Aquatics with] pride.”
by AMELIA CHU, CLARIE CURTIS, KIERA GREGORY & EMMA PHOMMARATH
