As the winter sports season continues at Benilde St. Margaret’s, the issue of limited gym space arises for teams like girls’ and boys’ basketball, dance team, and cheer, whose activities all take place on the same court. This can be a frustrating process for all programs, as teams often have to juggle multiple time slots for their practices, and not every team can get the times they want.
With multiple programs fighting for limited gym time, teams have had to split practices, adjust to late-night or early-morning times, or even shorten practices. For many athletes, this can make it difficult to maintain a consistent schedule or feel fully prepared for games or competitions. “If it’s right after school, it’s great, but when I have to come back, it’s kind of annoying, because I don’t get as much done, and I don’t have very much free time to do other stuff,” sophomore on the girls’ basketball team, Maria Johnson, said.
Communication plays a critical role in creating and adjusting schedules, but balancing all programs is not easy. The staff works to accommodate each team’s needs as fairly as possible. As it is one of the busiest times of the season, trying to make it fair and give teams the time they deserve comes with conflicts. “We do the best we can. However, with our limited gym space, it is difficult to get the times that everyone wants,” head coach of the BSM girls’ basketball team Tim Ellefson said.
The cheer team has also felt the impact of limited gym space. Due to basketball practices and games often occupying the main gym, cheerleaders are sometimes forced to practice in the cafeteria. While the team makes the most out of the space, it’s not an ideal environment. “I just feel like our team doesn’t get as much recognition, and I feel like people don’t make enough time or give us a real space to practice,” sophomore on the cheer team, Taea Noreen, said.
Basketball also faces challenges, particularly with late-night practices. Boys’ and girls’ basketball often have to alternate practice times, with one team practicing earlier and the other later in the evening. On some nights, practices can go late, leaving these athletes little time to eat dinner, complete homework, and have their free time before the next school day. “We get home late, pretty tired, and then I don’t have time to do homework,” senior captain of the boys basketball team Suvan Krishna said.
The gym space issue also impacts middle school athletes. Middle school girls’ basketball practices at times ended as late as 9 p.m. For younger students, these late nights can be especially challenging. Long days that start early and end late can lead to fatigue and burnout. Parents and coaches recognize the concern, but scheduling constraints make it difficult to avoid. “I think all of us would like it to be different. In a perfect world, we would want our kids who can’t drive to be able to practice right after school,” Ellefson said.
As the winter season continues at Benilde-St. Margaret’s gym space remains a topic of conversation among athletes, coaches, and families. With cheer, basketball, and dance all sharing the same gym, practices are sometimes adjusted when the gym is unavailable, forcing teams to modify their original plans. While these changes allow programs to make use of available space, they can affect how prepared athletes feel heading into important games and competitions during key stretches of the season.
Despite these challenges, athletes recognize that no team is being prioritized over another. Every program works within these limitations, so flexibility, communication, and patience have become essential, showing that dedication and teamwork prevail beyond competition.