MENDOTA – Over the last two school years, Northbrook School students, their families, and visiting teams have seen some changes.
Last year, the gym’s walls were painted, a new scoreboard was installed, a new divider curtain was inserted, the floor was redone that widened the floor for more room around the 3-point line, and a new scorer’s table was purchased.
This year, additions have continued as Northbrook has new bleachers in the gym and has a new sport offered to student-athletes, cross country.
“Our main idea behind the remodel and the new additions is to give something students and their families can be proud of,” said Heather Friedlein, Northbrook athletic director. “When you see the kids come in, you can see how proud they are to have games and activities at the school. Even in PE (physical education) class when they get to be in the big gym, it’s a big deal to them. They’re proud of the improvements. It’s something they want to show off. It’s something we want to show off.
“It’s so exciting. It’s so fresh in the gym now. It’s cool to see teams from other schools come into the gym and their reactions. They’re just in much awe as we are.”
With the bleachers being a new look in the gym, watching athletes run the designed cross-country track outside is a new outdoors attraction.
The first ever cross-country team offered to the fifth grade through eighth grade students had plenty of anticipation and excitement surrounding its formation as 13 runners are on the squad.
“Our superintendent, Brad Cox, had a great idea to send out a survey to the kids asking what they’d like at school,” Friedlein said. “Cross country was one of the options listed. The survey came back, and cross country was one of the top ones the kids were interested in.
“I don’t want to say it’s easy to implement, but it’s on the easier side when it comes to sports, especially since we already have track uniforms and the land at Northbrook, which we made a one-mile course on.
“They’re so proud to be part of the first team. They asked me to announce them on the intercom. They’re very excited.”
