On November 27th Foothill High School was temporarily banned from allowing any sports to compete on their home field. When the Campolindo High School Football team came to compete against Foothill in the NCS Division II Championship, a complaint from a Campolindo supporter brought attention to the lack of wheelchair accessibility in the stands. 

This complaint was recognized by NCS, which acknowledged Foothills field was not up to NCS regulations. The result is that, until updated, the field cannot be used for any NCS events in the foreseeable future.

“I’m surprised that they’re not going to let us have any NCS games on our field… We’ve been using the same field for the four years I’ve been in high school with no problems,” said Foothill High School Lacrosse player Kailey Kwok (‘22).

The bleachers at the field are currently wheelchair accessible, but not easily. Someone would have to take a long detour around the side of the football field and wheel through a rocky dirt road next to the softball field. 

“I think we should do something about that, because it would be nice for Foothill to host some NCS events, and people with wheelchairs should have access to the bleachers, so that needs to be taken action upon,” said said Foothill Track Athlete Nolan Chavez (‘24).

The effects of this temporary ban could last for a while. It all depends on when the school district decides to update the field.

I’m not sure when it’s going to be changed. I haven’t heard anything from the school about it. It’s weird, because they’re still having soccer games right now,” says Kwok.

In the meantime, students themselves are brainstorming ways to solve the problem.

“There definitely should be some ideas on how to let people with wheelchairs come watch events… they can probably sit on the top bleachers if they wanted to,” said Foothill Track Athlete Elliot Spunari (‘24).