The ongoing $15 million renovation of Sherwood Center is causing quite a stir in the Whitman Athletics and Intramural Sports communities.   Last year, Sherwood housed many I.M. Sports such as basketball and dodgeball, as well as the school’s climbing walls and Racquetball courts. However, with the new construction in full swing, many Varsity and I.M. Sports are having to make compromises.

Due to the buildings’ ongoing renovations many athletes are unable to use the Sherwood facilities that have been available to them in the past. At the command of the Walla Walla Fire Marshal and the Building Inspector almost all of the building has been ordered closed for the duration of the construction.   However, Sherwood will be open to the public for Varsity Basketball as well as Volleyball contests this fall and winter.

With the exception of Varsity Basketball and Volleyball players, students are only able to use the main gym during scheduled “Open Gym” times available at the Baker Ferguson Fitness Center.   These times are limited, however, to a maximum occupancy of fifty people.

These restrictions are forcing Whitman athletic officials to find alternate areas for teams to practice during the winter.   Deals are being made with other institutions in the Walla Walla area such as DeSalles High School and Walla Walla Community College to allow Whitman athletes to use their facilities.

Athletic Director Dean Snider commented on the comprises athletes will have to make given the limited space, saying, “this winter will have to mostly be focused on conditioning.”

Indoor I.M. Sports such as basketball and dodgeball are also taking a hit.   The focus will be to “do I.M. events this year that are suitable for the situation,” said Snider, which means that more emphasis will be placed on outdoor sports such as soccer, football, and ultimate Frisbee.

Also, there will be an added I.M. tennis season and outdoor Volleyball, to be played on the courts outside of Anderson Hall and the Science building.   These seasons are being re-added after having been dropped last year.

“We will not be able to do Basketball unless we find somewhere else to do it,” said Matt Morris-Rosenfeld, member of Whitman’s Intramural Sports Committee. “The problem is people are not going to want to go too far out of their way for an I.M. sport.”

This unwillingness makes it very difficult for the Committee to find suitable playing areas for I.M. teams because, outside of Sherwood, there are little or no suitable indoor spaces within a reasonable walking distance.

He admitted that they haven’t gotten around to making arrangements for other indoor I.M. sports, but the Committee will be meeting this next week to decide the best course of action. Even if they are unable to come to a reasonable conclusion, Morris-Rosenfeld said the indoor sports would not be dropped, but replaced with others so that there are still plenty of I.M. options this fall and winter.

Any changes made will only be temporary, however. The renovations being done to Sherwood are on schedule and, according to Snider, should be finished by August of 2009.