On Saturday, November 17, athletes participated in Sprint for Sports, an effort by Los Altos Athletic League (LAAL) in conjunction with ASB to raise money for athletics. While Sprint for Sports brought in much-needed money, it also drew complaints — often from athletes who had already participated in fundraisers for their own specific sports.

Although some athletes have fully paid for everything their sport needs, athletics as a whole still needs more money. Students should recognize that it was necessary to participate Sprint for Sports.

LAAL and ASB organized Sprint for Sports with the goal of raising as much money as possible for the Athletic Department. Athletes participated by finding sponsors who will pay either a flat donation or a rate for each lap they run, similar to a walk-a-thon. The money generated will go directly to pay for tournaments and the trainer. Sports is consistently running a large deficit because only a few sports, like field hockey, actually bring in more money than they spend.

In recent years, ASB started allotting money toward a buffer fund from which sports teams could withdraw the money they needed. This money comes partially from ASB cards and Eagle Cards, and ASB hasn’t set limits on the amount of money teams can withdraw to help further their athletic pursuits.

In the next few years, however, this extra fund will be completely depleted. This is one reason some sports teams are feeling a lack of funds more keenly. For example, teams this year have been fundraising to pay for their own tournaments. The goal of Sprint for Sports is to get a lot of fundraising done in a short period of time, so athletes don’t have to focus on it throughout their seasons.

By participating in Sprint for Sports, athletes were helping guarantee that in the future, teams won’t have to fundraise during the season to pay for tournaments. It may have seemed like a hassle, but it was also a necessity. Athletes are fortunate that they can participate in a wide variety of sports, regardless of the revenue they generate. They are also fortunate that ASB is willing to provide a safety net. They shouldn’t complain now that the school is asking them to help avoid running out of the money ASB has provided, especially since 100 percent of the proceeds will be used to pay for sports now and in the future.

Fall athletes across the board have had grueling seasons. Despite varying levels of expenses and success, they have all worked hard both on the field and to raise funds. Although it may have felt like another hurdle, Sprint for Sports allowed LAHS athletics to move forward.