Aging Warsaw Basketball Fans Want Handrails In Tiger Den
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Two longtime Tiger supporters, Carolyn Wulliman and Mary Hartle, Winona Lake, approached the school board Monday night requesting the matter be looked into. They also collected a petition with almost 200 signatures supporting their cause.
Wulliman told the board, “As we hope you have noticed, Warsaw basketball fans are very loyal. We’re also aging. We, who go to away games, have noticed that more schools are providing handrails in the bleachers and our fans do appreciate that, and there has been more and more discussion that we need this in the Tiger Dean. Mary and I, discussing this among ourselves, we came up with a very simple petition form and took it through the crowd and got 167 signatures the other night.”
She indicated that night was Feb. 18, a snowy day so the crowd was small. They also missed almost all of the lower middle section across from the bench as they ran out of time and forms. She said that could have been another 30 to 40 signatures.
Hartle read the petition, which stated, “We, the undersigned, being longtime Warsaw basketball season ticket holders and Warsaw basketball fans, would like to ask the Warsaw School Board to consider installing handrails in the aisles of the gym. It’s becoming more and more of a problem for a lot of longtime fans to maneuver the bleachers. We have also noticed that more and more of the schools are providing rails for their fans.”
Wulliman indicated they targeted the fans they knew were season ticket holders but did include others along the way. She said it was difficult for them to make their way in the bleachers.
“The fans who did sign this petition represent those who have been there for the Tigers for the glory years, the rebuilding years and the mediocre years,” she stated. “Our financial support has been a huge factor in the success of the Warsaw sports programs as the basketball income helps provide for a lot of the so-called lesser sports.”
She said they do understand that there are other factors involved, “such as code updates and things like that,” but they wanted to put it before the school board for consideration.
In the small crowd at the Feb. 18 game, Wulliman said there were four people there who had season tickets for more than 70 years; nine who had season tickets for more than 50 years; 12 for more than 40 years; and 23 for more than 30 years.
“We think that is amazing,” she stated.
Board Vice President Matt Dick asked if there was a portion of the gym they were looking at for handrails.
While indicating she wasn’t sure, Wulliman said the season ticket holders do sit in the lower portion. She said they’ve noticed other schools like Tippecanoe Valley and Northridge have added handrails for their fans.
“A couple of people asked us who is going to pay for this. The people who pay for everything,” she stated.
Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz told the women, “Thank you, ladies, for bringing this forward and certainly it will be considered. We appreciate you doing this work and your support for Tiger athletics, Tiger basketball and certainly it’s worthy of consideration here at the district level.”[[In-content Ad]]
Two longtime Tiger supporters, Carolyn Wulliman and Mary Hartle, Winona Lake, approached the school board Monday night requesting the matter be looked into. They also collected a petition with almost 200 signatures supporting their cause.
Wulliman told the board, “As we hope you have noticed, Warsaw basketball fans are very loyal. We’re also aging. We, who go to away games, have noticed that more schools are providing handrails in the bleachers and our fans do appreciate that, and there has been more and more discussion that we need this in the Tiger Dean. Mary and I, discussing this among ourselves, we came up with a very simple petition form and took it through the crowd and got 167 signatures the other night.”
She indicated that night was Feb. 18, a snowy day so the crowd was small. They also missed almost all of the lower middle section across from the bench as they ran out of time and forms. She said that could have been another 30 to 40 signatures.
Hartle read the petition, which stated, “We, the undersigned, being longtime Warsaw basketball season ticket holders and Warsaw basketball fans, would like to ask the Warsaw School Board to consider installing handrails in the aisles of the gym. It’s becoming more and more of a problem for a lot of longtime fans to maneuver the bleachers. We have also noticed that more and more of the schools are providing rails for their fans.”
Wulliman indicated they targeted the fans they knew were season ticket holders but did include others along the way. She said it was difficult for them to make their way in the bleachers.
“The fans who did sign this petition represent those who have been there for the Tigers for the glory years, the rebuilding years and the mediocre years,” she stated. “Our financial support has been a huge factor in the success of the Warsaw sports programs as the basketball income helps provide for a lot of the so-called lesser sports.”
She said they do understand that there are other factors involved, “such as code updates and things like that,” but they wanted to put it before the school board for consideration.
In the small crowd at the Feb. 18 game, Wulliman said there were four people there who had season tickets for more than 70 years; nine who had season tickets for more than 50 years; 12 for more than 40 years; and 23 for more than 30 years.
“We think that is amazing,” she stated.
Board Vice President Matt Dick asked if there was a portion of the gym they were looking at for handrails.
While indicating she wasn’t sure, Wulliman said the season ticket holders do sit in the lower portion. She said they’ve noticed other schools like Tippecanoe Valley and Northridge have added handrails for their fans.
“A couple of people asked us who is going to pay for this. The people who pay for everything,” she stated.
Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz told the women, “Thank you, ladies, for bringing this forward and certainly it will be considered. We appreciate you doing this work and your support for Tiger athletics, Tiger basketball and certainly it’s worthy of consideration here at the district level.”[[In-content Ad]]
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