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Gates Chili celebrates student athletes as district advances new stadiums and unified sports
Summary
Board recognized two student athletes and heard an athletics report highlighting sectional and national competition, a small drop in participation, growth in unified sports and plans for two new multiuse stadiums near Buffalo Road.
The district recognized Heidi Tran and Noah Leathercich for athletic achievement and heard an athletics report that outlined recent awards, participation trends and facility projects.
Heidi Tran, a multisport athlete who competes in diving and pole vault, will continue pole vaulting at Binghamton University and study pharmacology; Noah Leathercich, also a three‑sport athlete who qualified for national competition, plans to attend Roberts Wesleyan and study computer science. The recognitions were presented during the board’s GC Pride Awards segment.
The district athletic director told the board Gates Chili is down about 50 students participating in athletics this year and that staff will investigate where the shortfall lies. The director said scholar‑athlete recognitions shown to the board covered fall and winter seasons and cautioned that spring totals were not yet included.
Athletic highlights presented to the board included 52 student athletes receiving all‑county recognition across fall and winter sports, four students advancing to New York State track and field championships, and a Gates relay team that earned All‑American status at Nike Nationals. The director noted one individual, Luke Saint Clair, received a local player honor and is an underclassman expected back next season.
Unified sports participation has expanded, the director said, and Gates Chili has been an early host for Section 5 youth events. The district is exploring adding flag football to unified offerings.
On facilities, the director outlined plans for two new multiuse stadiums near Buffalo Road that will include fields for baseball, softball, lacrosse and soccer, phys‑ed stations and spaces intended to allow meaningful outdoor skill training. The director said the projects are expected to improve practice space and enable the district to host more Section 5 events that currently draw large crowds.
The director also described a busy host schedule this year and said the district sometimes turns down events to avoid overtaxing staff and volunteers. He thanked local partners and volunteers for supporting sectional championship celebrations and singled out Chief Long for assistance with a celebratory procession.
Student speaker Heidi Tran described sectionals and states as team experiences that brought teammates closer and provided exposure to college competition and coaching.
Board members did not take formal action on athletics at the meeting. The director said summer leagues for basketball have been restored and a free girls’ basketball camp in February drew about 42 participants, run by the varsity team as instructors.
Ending: The board heard several forward‑looking items on athletics: staff will review the recent participation decline, the new stadiums remain planned near Buffalo Road, and district representatives said they will return with updates as projects and seasons progress.
