To the editor:

Last week’s article, “Groups seek to ensure play open to all,” made some very strong points regarding high school sports in Scarborough. However, it failed to mention that at least two teams at the varsity level already have significant financial burdens.

Currently, high school swimming and diving teams have to raise funds above and beyond the average booster efforts.

Scarborough obviously doesn’t have the facilities to support this program and the school offers to pick up only half the cost of very expensive pool time. As a result, the 71-member team (which has just two coaches) is split up daily and bused off to separate facilities in Portland.

What does this mean for our athletes? Each swimmer or diver is expected to pay or raise $150 to be part of our team. Additionally, athletes are expected to purchase equipment and team gear.

While other athletes and families are now facing fees and fundraising, let’s not forget that there are already programs at Scarborough High School that have faced these financial burdens for 14 years.

As Scarborough’s largest sport, and arguably one of the most successful (both the boys and girls finished as runners-up at this year’s Class A swimming championship), I hope that members of the school board and our community understand that pushing the burden on our swim team any further would spell even greater hardship to a program that already faces tremendous obstacles yet finds ways to be successful.

Sean Flaherty

Varsity swimming and diving head coach