By Justin Gomes and Luke Vavuris
Las Positas is considered the top Community College in the state, and fourth in the country. It boasts some of the best academic and athletic facilities in the region, but Las Positas has a significant deficit in spring sports programs.
Las Positas’ sports program has a noticeable vacancy in the spring. Swimming and diving monopolizes the post-basketball portion of the calendar. Meanwhile, an all-weather track, laid in 2011, sits relatively unused. A solar farm occupies land already allocated for a baseball diamond. For a school with such quality facilities and plans for more, the question begs: why are there so few teams in the Hawks’ athletic department?
Judging by the presence of new buildings on campus, resources wouldn’t appear to be an issue. The costs related to starting and maintaining a sports program are one of the primary hurdles to a more robust sports program. A second obstacle is student interest, as finding players is a constant struggle.
The push for more sports at Las Positas is underway. The cross-country program, according to President Dyrell Foster, is first up to be revitalized. School administrators and athletic staff declare they are committed to at least investigating the feasibility of more sports. But it may not be as simple as it seems.
With a bigger focus on the quality of education at Las Positas, the sports programs have suffered. In 2017 Las Positas traded its track and field program as well as the cross-country program to Chabot College for women’s volleyball, further reducing the spring offerings for athletes.
It is a situation that President Foster and the Las Positas board of directors are looking to remedy. But with challenges with the budget, their options remain limited. Adding programs using facilities already in place is the most cost-effective first step. Foster has confirmed that they are in talks to bring back the Cross Country program for the 2025 school year.
“What makes more sense for us right now is the cross-country team,” Foster said. “So we’re going to be starting with cross country, I’m hoping in the fall. And then that eventually will lead to a track and field program because we have the facilities for that.”
This may not be the answer every student current or future is looking for but it is a start. Many would like to see the addition of baseball or softball, but building a new program is a complex process. There are many costs associated with the addition of these programs. There are facility costs not only to build but maintain. There is the cost of uniforms and team travel. Another budgetary concern is the staff for such programs. Other schools with larger enrollment numbers can absorb some of those costs while also having the facilities already in place.
Another challenge Las Positas faces before expanding its offerings is student participation. Without student interest, the programs can not exist in the first place. Established fall sports have struggled with finding players in the last year, with the women’s basketball team being forced to forfeit multiple games during the 2022-23 season. Las Positas’ soccer and men’s basketball programs remain a big draw for both players and fans.
Some members of the athletic staff believe that with more programs the draw for enrollment would also increase.
“Adding to their spring sports catalog will not only benefit the athletic scene,” Kevin Kramer, LPC Dean of Public Safety said. “But will also help improve the overall campus by increasing enrollment and student participation in extracurricular activities.”
But the Athletic Department aren’t the only ones who can add to the athletic scene of Las Positas, there is more students can do to bring programs to the college. In recent years, Las Positas was home to a student-run nationally-ranked Ultimate Frisbee club. Many programs have their roots in student clubs. Cheer and dance squads could become a reality with student interest.
The current students need to be the building blocks. Many may not see the fruits of their labor, but future students may have the opportunity to participate in programs not available to students in the past. A more active student body, and an increased focus from the directors of LPC could mean a busier spring athletic schedule in a few years time.
Justin Gomes is the Editor-in-Chief of The Express. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @JLGPHOTOG. Luke Vavuris is a staff writer for The Express. Follow him on X, formally Twitter, @Luke5068.
