Saratoga News
News
Friday night football will be under the lights at Saratoga
By Michele Leung
There may be more electricity in the air on Friday nights at Saratoga High School next fall. Trustees of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District approved permanent lights for the football field, which will allow the Falcons to play their home games at night.
At their April 18 meeting, trustees approved the construction of new restrooms and a new snack shack, as well as the installation of lights for the football field and track area. The vote was 4-0, with trustee Lorrie Wernick absent. Principal Jeff Anderson said he hopes the lights and the football team playing at home will rejuvenate the school community on Friday nights.
"We want to make it a cultural event for the high school," he said.
Construction is slated to begin in June after graduation and will be finished by the start of the fall athletic season. The Saratoga Sports Boosters Club is financing the project.
Neighbor Margaret Smith was not pleased with the idea of lights going up and said that former principals "assured" neighbors there would not be lights.
"The school administration has betrayed us," she said.
She said approval of lights would encourage traffic, parking and littering problems.
Smith and Saratoga parent Joyce Avery agreed the lights should be used for high school events only.
"It's going to be a tough pill to swallow when we have to deal with overflow from events not related to Saratoga High School," Avery said.
Avery also said the school should minimize the number of outdoor events that take place on the field under the lights. There would be five football games, and Avery said five other events that are large in noise or traffic impact would be acceptable. However, limits and conditions need to be spelled out on paper, she said.
"Board members leave and principals leave," Avery said. "That's why we want these things in writing."
Trustees agreed with the need to put more conditions in writing and will reassess the lights situation in two years. They voted during the initial two years, school officials would limit the field lights only to Saratoga High School events. Pop Warner football players will still be able to practice on the field during the week because of existing agreements, but they will not use the lights.
Anderson said he anticipates football would be the only sport to bring out large crowds. Soccer will not have the same draw, he said.
In addition, Anderson said there are no marching band jamborees or student movie nights planned to take place on the field.
Anderson's statement of creating a Friday night culture differs from the view of former Principal Kevin Skelly. At a community meeting in 2004, he said it would be unlikely that lights would go up on the football field.
"I know there are alumni who would love to see us play [Friday night football]. That's their dream, but I don't see it happening," he said then. "You put lights in this place, and I think the neighbors go crazy."
