Broken Ventiliation System Sends USC Rifle Team to Bethel Park

The rifle team begins the 2011-12 season on Monday, but its future is unknown.

The high school's rifle room has a broken ventilation system that the . As the players shoot their guns, too much lead is staying in the air. Athletic Director Matthew Mellinger assured parents it's a problem that began this year and that the room and ventilation system is separate from the rest of the high school.

The team will travel to Bethel Park High School to use its facility to practice and all meets will be away. The traveling will cause students to have to miss some class time. Some players decided not to try out for the team again this year due to the circumstances.

Even more disheartening for the players, the team will not be accepting any freshmen, which puts the team's future at question.

"My middle school friends were broken-hearted when I told them there may be no rifle team when they get to high school," said Bethany Fisher, a sophomore on the rifle team.

"At this point, there is no plan to get rid of the rifle team. But if we had to get rid of the rifle team, we wouldn't want to affect a new batch of kids," Mellinger said.

Mellinger also said the perception that the school district doesn't care about the rifle team is wrong. He said the district cares about the team enough to keep it going right now, despite the expensive ventilation problem.

Seniors and rifle team members Michael Polens and Ben Zhang presented their case during a school board meeting. According to their research, they said the rifle team had the sixth most participation of any sport at the school and was the third cheapest sport.

"It's a sport that requires great skill and we put in long hours of practice. It teaches values that are useful in everyday life. We would like the range repaired," Polens said.

If the school district cannot come up with the money to repair the ventilation system, current and former players have said that they are prepared to fundraise.

What is your take on the problems facing the Upper St. Clair rifle team? Tell us in the comments.