Congratulations to the boys’ high school soccer team, who placed second in league and earned a home playoff game! Their achievement marks months of sacrifice and hard work where they learned to work together as a team.

Unfortunately, they cannot claim their prize of a home field advantage as they try to advance to the next playoff round. Why? Washington athletic officials don’t allow playoff games on sub-standard fields like ours so the boys will travel to Kent for their “home” game. The school district has to pay extra money to rent a stadium and contract for bus transportation due to decades of neglecting our own high school athletic campus. This is not a new problem. Our boys and girls teams regularly make the playoffs, but get to play their “home” games in places like Kent and Orting.

I’m proud to be part of the 53% of the island that supported the last effort to fix the problems surrounding our crumbling athletic facilities. I also support strong academics and arts in our schools. All of these A’s — academics, athletics and arts — combine to make healthy kids and vibrant adults.

I urge the remaining 47 percent to rethink their position so that our kids can actually play home games at home! There was nothing wrong with requiring the school board to further scrutinize necessary costs, but this this is not a problem that will magically resolve absent some real investment in our schools and community. As the school board develops a new bond plan, at a minimum, it should develop facilities that meet Washington state athletic standards. Wouldn’t it be nice to honor our student athletes by allowing them to play their home games on their actual island home?

Go Pirates!

— David Hackett