Dunes as tall as buildings. Dusty scenery that stretches as far as the eye can see. I could be describing the Sahara Desert–maybe even a southern landscape. Students of Scituate High School will know that I’m actually describing the construction of our new athletic fields. After numerous fire drills during our first week of school, it’s been hard for students to miss the hulking presence that is the new renovations.  If you were wondering what the purpose of this mass-scale production is, Mr. Peter Umbrianna, SHS’s new athletic director, has answers for you. 

The new construction project goes beyond our school’s desperate plea for new fields. Yes, our school will gain new athletic fields, meaning more teams will get to compete on our school grounds at the same time. But these new fields will mean so much more. These new fields speak to Umbrianna’s aims to instill an increased sense of unity among students and faculty alike. With three games able to occur at once, spectators can jump from field to field, supporting a variety of our school’s sports teams. These fields present the opportunity for our school to come together as a whole and support each other’s endeavors, whether that be football or field hockey.   

Umbrianna’s goal for a more unified school is also reflected in countless other plans he has for SHS. The captain’s council is in the works, which will allow the students to play a more significant and involved role in Scituate Athletics. This plan entails all sporting captains meeting once a week to discuss pressing matters, such as the vaping epidemic or how to gain more fan support. Students will have a voice in how our athletics function, which Umbrianna believes to be the most critical aspect of high school unity. “It’s not about myself. It’s not about the coaches. It’s about you guys. I would pay anything in the world to go back and play a high school sport again,” he says. 

As a former athlete for Duxbury High School, Umbrianna intends to transfer his passion for sports into the expansion of sporting opportunities for students at SHS, on top of a greater sense of camaraderie. One of such ideas includes an MIAA recognition for our rugby team. The addition of a varsity ultimate frisbee team is even on the horizon. 

With all of these improvements, including many more that haven’t been highlighted, it’s difficult not to be excited about the future. So, the next time you catch yourself complaining about the construction, think about the future of our school, not about the Porta Potty in your parking spot.