Letter to the Editor: Sheldon Reynolds--Homecoming Under the Lights Is Special

To the Editor:

I attended several of the homecoming events this past weekend at The Bronxville School, including the games held on Friday and Saturday nights.

As a parent of three girls, and a resident of the village for 19 years, my family and I have participated in many homecomings. My oldest daughter played soccer for six years, my middle daughter is a junior and plays on the field hockey team, and my youngest is an eighth grader and plays on the JV soccer team.

To my family, homecoming weekend has long been a highlight of our Bronxville fall memories. When our girls were in elementary school, we came to the night games with other young families, regardless of which teams were on the field. Now that our children are athletes, we love how excited they get about this special weekend and the chance to play under the lights to bigger crowds. Homecoming weekend in Bronxville is about gathering our community together, supporting our athletes, and visiting with friends and neighbors.

This weekend was no exception. As darkness fell, the atmosphere was festive, and it was great to see so many families with young kids enjoying themselves. The middle and high school kids supported the teams on the field, and parents and alumni enjoyed visiting with their friends.

The new bleachers and concession stand enhanced the experience, parking wasn't a problem, and garbage was contained and not an issue. The only drawback was the noise from the portable lights. 

Our village is integrally tied with our school, and community events like homecoming help bring families and friends together. Giving our kids a place to have fun and show their school spirit is an important aspect of nighttime sporting events. 

Importantly, permanent lights address the pressing issue of limited field space that will only get worse as enrollment and athletic participation continues to grow. 

I am confident that the school would limit the hours and number of weekends that the lights could be used, and that only Bronxville School teams could use them. 

For these reasons, I support the effort to bring permanent lights to Chambers Field.

Sincerely,

Sheldon S. Reynolds
Bronxville, New York 10708
October 21, 2013

Editor's Note: MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements in letters to the editor, and the opinions do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff. Its objective in publishing letters to the editor is to give air to diverse thoughts and opinions of residents in the community.