Night games are one of the highlights of fall sports’ season. Fans go to these games not only to support their team, but also because they’re extremely fun! Now here’s the question: Why doesn’t Westborough have lights on our turf?
For years this question has been asked by numerous students and nonstudents. Recently I sat down with the Athletic Director of WHS, Ms. DiCarlo, to discuss this topic further. Although the controversy of the lights occurred mainly before Ms. DiCarlo was a member of the WHS community, she had some insights on the situation.
One of the reasons we do not have lights on the turf is because Westborough High School is located right downtown, and it’s considered a historical landmark to Westborough. The people living around the high school don’t want to ruin that presence.
Other factors include the noise levels and brightness of the lights. To counter this argument, the lights wouldn’t be on too late. Hypothetically speaking, for game days they would be on till around 9:30 pm, and for regular practice days the lights would be on until 8:00 pm.
Ms. DiCarlo also mentioned that lights on the turf would benefit our sports teams. There would be equal playing time for everyone, especially during daylight savings when it gets darker sooner. Having lights on the field would also solve the practice time controversies.
A solution to both problems (wanting the lights vs. not wanting the lights) would be to have temporary lights put up for part of the season. Ms. DiCarlo commented, “We’re looking for nothing permanent, if anything we would get temporary lights for the last couple games of a sports season.”
Temporary lights seem like a great solution because this way the students and staff of WHS and also the citizens of the Westborough are satisfied. The school board should really press for temporary lights. Think of how much extra money the school and town could be making from the concession stand and the ticket booth at these night games!
Overall the lights on the turf would not only benefit our athletic department but also the entire school and community, by bringing us all together to support our friends and town!
