Webutuck athletes applaud newly upgraded gymnasium

WEBUTUCK — The Webutuck students who competed on this year’s winter sports teams had the advantage of playing and practicing in a newly renovated gymnasium at Webutuck High School, thanks to upgrades the facility made during the past year.

The need for upgrades arose last January when a burst pipe led to significant water damage in the gym. Following the discovery of the pipe, the gym was deemed unusable.

After the school district’s architect, Tetra Tech Architects & Engineers, reviewed the situation, it was determined that the damage presented a safety risk to students, staff members and the public, and the district was advised to look into the immediate removal and repair of the gym floor. The district was informed by its property insurance carrier that insurance would fully pay for the  floor’s removal and replacement. The Webutuck Board of Education designated the work on the gym as an emergency project in late January 2018.

With insurance covering costs, the work on the flooring was completed last summer by Mathusek Incorporated, a wood flooring company based in New Jersey that specializes in gym flooring systems. Once the flooring was finished, the district decided to move forward with additional upgrades. In addition to removal and replacement, the floors were redesigned with graphics to represent the Webutuck Warriors, a step Webutuck Superintendent of Schools Ray Castellani said will give Webutuck student athletes “a true home advantage” during future games. The gym bleachers were also replaced with a motorized modern version, complete with safety features and the green and white school colors.

The work on the gym was finished in November, 2018. By the time the 2018-19 basketball season was ready to begin, both the boys and girls basketball teams opened their seasons on the new gym floors.

“It’s about putting forward facilities for students and staff that we can be proud of, and this is one step in that direction,” Castellani said. “I know when student athletes walk onto that court, they definitely feel proud.”

From a coach’s perspective, Stephen Valyou, coach for the Webutuck junior varsity boys basketball team, said the gym’s upgrades allow the teams more opportunities to practice and compete, especially now that  players aren’t sharing a restricted amount of space.

“If we have to split a gym or use just half of a court, we’re not getting the full experience of what it takes to move up and down a full court,” Valyou said.

“I think it was like a fresh new start,” said Tyler Albrecht, the coach for the Webutuck varsity girls basketball team.

Along with presenting his team with an upbeat outlook during competition, Albrecht dubbed the new basketball court “one of the best courts in Section 9, to be honest.”

In addition to various practices and games for the winter sports teams, the district successfully hosted a game between the Webutuck faculty, staff and administrators and the Harlem Wizards in January. To top off a triumphant season on the court, the winter sports team coaches recently hosted the 2019 Winter Sports Awards Ceremony in the WHS gym on Friday, March 8.

“It’s been a benefit to all of our athletic teams,” said Webutuck Assistant Athletic Director Matthew Pascale, “and our winter sports teams have had an admirable season. We look forward to seeing the Athletics Department grow and represent the school and the community in a positive light.”

Included in future plans, Castellani reported that the district intends to look into replacing the gym’s aging lighting system with more efficient lighting and repairing the gym ceiling. At this time, he said the district is in the middle of reviewing an Energy Performance Contract, which will take the lighting system upgrades into account. As far as repairing the ceiling, he said that particular upgrade is something the district plans to address in the next year.