Women's softball bleachers. The Whetstone/ Cochise Lucas

Men's baseball bleachers. The Whetstone/ Cochise Lucas

By Kim Manahan (Whetstone staff writer)

Some students say that men’s sports teams have more advantages and better facilities than women’s teams.

“I don’t think it’s fair that baseball has more seating,” said senior Lara Krygier, who plays on the softball team.

“Not to mention that the stands for the softball field are placed on the visitor’s side therefore the home team fans either sit on the grass or have to bring their own chairs.”

Facilities are provided equally to all teams, said Coach Michael Drass, director of athletics.

“We all use the same facilities for men and women,” Drass said. “We have one field, one gym, and one auxiliary gym that are equally used by all sports men and women.”

The only separate fields that Wesley has are the baseball and softball ones, which are both set by minimum NCAA specs, Drass said.

Some of the women’s softball players do not feel that their field is equal to that of the men’s baseball one.

According to Wesley’s Web site, the baseball field seats 400, while the softball field seats 100.

There are always people standing or there isn’t enough room for the amount of fans, Krygier said.

According to Coach Gerald Szabo, the men’s baseball team draws more fans because they are contenders.

“If our program raises its level of play, maybe we would have need for 400 or more seats, but for now, we have to be concerned with how we represent ourselves as student athletes,” Szabo said.

Students feel that the upkeep of the softball field has improved this year. The fields were not kept in the same condition in past years, Krygier said.

“This year it’s different and the field is getting the attention it has been needing,” she said.

It’s still not enough for some.

“The baseball field is better maintained than the softball field,” said senior Michelle Mules. “I addressed the maintenance of the softball field and I was told that our maintenance staff is stretched thin as is.”

Aramark provides maintenance to the fields and facilities, and they do the best job they can, Drass said.

Junior Angela Owens, a member of the women’s basketball team, said that the men are provided with more facilities than her team.

“We have a locker room that has couches and a TV,” Owens said. “The men’s basketball team has the same, but also has a snack machine, a lot more room and a coach’s office. They also do not share their locker room with any other team.”

The women’s basketball team shares its locker room with the volleyball team.

James Wearden, the women’s basketball coach, pointed out that the volleyball team did not contribute to the fundraising and remodeling of the locker room.

“My team and I are continuously going out in to the community and contacting alumni in hopes of attracting more support for our program,” Wearden said.