Letter to the Editor

After waiting all week to see ANYTHING in the local paper about our swim team's region finals, I got mad enough to write a letter to the editor of our county paper.  Here it is.  I'll let you know if any of it gets printed.

Dear Editor:

I generally appreciate all the coverage of local high school sports. I love to hear about the athletes who play their hearts out for their schools.  However, this week I was really looking forward to seeing the results of the Region 4 (5A) Swim championships.  This event was held on Saturday, January 28th at the beautiful South Davis Recreation Center aquatic facility. 

As you know, Region 4 includes Lehi, American Fork, Lone Peak, Pleasant Grove, Riverton and Bingham high schools.  Considering that 4 of those 6 schools involved in this championship swim meet were Utah County schools, I figured The Daily Herald would cover it.  I hoped, at the very least, the results would be listed in the “scoreboard” section of the paper on Sunday or Monday.  I have been wrong in assuming that, as not a single word was mentioned.

I am a mom of a high school swimmer.  My daughter and many other high school swimmers have spent much their spare time since September —including over their Christmas vacation-- in the pool.  In our team’s case, much of that pool time is only available because they swim in a neighboring city’s pool because our own city pool is not just closed, but empty, from October through April.  These kids have to be really committed if they want to swim for our high school team. The swim season is the longest season of any of the local high school sports, as far as I can tell.  Yet, there is minimal or no coverage of their achievements in your paper.

I understand that the basketball games are better attended and more frequently played and that football and wrestling are more popular.  But, as the big local paper in the county, I would hope that all sports within the season would be covered by the paper.  Every student athlete is giving their all.  Every student athlete who has committed to playing for their school deserves some recognition. 

There were region records shattered at the swim meet Saturday.  Student athletes made personal best times and helped their schools advance to the state finals.  Coaches watched their student athletes achieve their goals.  Parents and families cheered on our kids until our voices were gone. All these kids had a great swim meet!  And it was a lot of fun to watch.

I urge you to please reconsider your coverage of ALL the high school sports.  Please include the lesser recognized sports each season and give those kids their due.  For most of these kids, their athletic career ends with their high school sports.  Please cover their achievements as well as those who may go on to sign with a Division I university.  Not every student chooses to play football or basketball. But they each have the same athletic heart and high school team spirit.  Please make it a point to celebrate those kids too.