I recently heard about the March 21 referendum and the possibility of extracurricular sports being cut from the program at Roosevelt Middle School, should it fail. The idea of this is completely appalling to me and to anyone else who played sports at Roosevelt. I participated in cross country, track, and basketball there. Memories from all three are vivid, especially basketball. To this day, my teammates and I are good friends. We have kept in touch through high school and even college. I can easily say they are some of the best friends I will ever have. They were a positive force at a pretty tough time in my life. We were all very supportive of each other, no matter what we were going through.

The middle school years can be a time filled with insecurity, especially for a girl. But basketball made me a stronger person both inside and out at an early age. Practices were fun and challenging, and my coach, Mr. Geweke, was one of my greatest mentors. He motivated me to be successful both on the court and off; he did that for every girl on the team. He created a team that bonded on so many levels. I still have the letter he wrote me at the end of the season to congratulate me for a great season. It meant so much to me to have such a great motivator who cared about his team so much. To this day I love to see my former coach and remind him of the great things he did for me, and how he contributed to the successes I enjoy today.

My experiences in the Roosevelt athletic program were invaluable. I met lifelong friends and gained the confidence and motivation that has carried through to college. Although I no longer play the sports I played in middle school, I think those years taught many valuable lessons in addition to those I learned in class.

It would be a tragedy if the extracurricular sports programs at Roosevelt were cut. Please consider my story as a testament to how vital sports are to the middle school experience. Please vote Yes on March 21.

Aimee Reynoso
Freshman at University of Wisconsin-Madison