There is, quite literally, a hole in the heart of Burlingame this year. Walk between the basketball courts and the A-Building during passing period, or head to the football field for a rally, and it’s impossible not to notice that in place of the gymnasium is a pile of soil, rubble and construction equipment. It might look that way for a while.
In May, Burlingame kicked off the start of a two-year construction project, building a state-of-the-art, two-floor gymnasium to replace the outdated athletic facility. The implications of the construction are felt widely, as athletes, students and programs have adjusted their plans to accommodate the lack of a gym.
Administration and leadership must navigate finding a venue for indoor rallies and dances, which often took place in the gym. For instance, homecoming, which is historically held on campus, will be moved off-site this year, with administration and leadership actively looking for a venue.
“While it may seem like an inconvenience, it’s also an opportunity to try something new for a year or two, right?” Assistant Principal Aimee Malcolm said.
Indoor sports that use the gym daily feel the impact most acutely. Girls’ volleyball, for instance, now relies on other gym facilities throughout the district, with junior varsity and varsity teams using the Mills High School small gym while the freshman team practices at Capuchino High School. However, junior Sophia Geminder, in her second year on the varsity team, claimed that the changes have hardly made a dent in the team’s dynamic.
“The team itself hasn’t really changed, we all still get along together. It’s not that big of a deal,” Geminder said. “I think the only thing is, you’re missing your audience and you’re missing your people.”
Although varsity girls’ volleyball head coach Hannah Korslund acknowledged the mental toll of losing a home court, she claimed that the unprecedented situation could serve as a learning opportunity for the team.
“I think the road games — being on the road for so many weeks — might start to get to us, but we’re going to reframe it as an opportunity to get really good at playing in front of other teams’ crowds and it’ll be good for us long term,” Korslund said.
Physical education students also lost a gym and a locker room to change in. Classes are now held outside unless prohibited by weather complications, such as when students had study hall on an especially hot day in August. Sophomore Alex Rivas said the start of the swim unit has added an extra layer of complication to changing for PE.
“For the swim unit they don’t want us to change in the portables, so you have to change in the locker room at Burlingame Aquatic Center (BAC) but that locker room is really small, and I don’t know how they’re going to fit a bunch of people in such a tiny area,” Rivas said. “I just wish the gym was still there. I didn’t really see the reason why we had to take it down so soon.”
The administration is still in discussion about how rainy days will affect PE. For now, they plan to utilize available classrooms as makeshift exercise rooms. Ultimately, the lack of space demands a high level of cooperation from staff and students alike, Assistant Principal Jenny Gibson said.
“We just all have to work together in sharing spaces,” Gibson said. “Thankfully, I feel like Dr. Fong and all of the administration have been really on in terms of having a clear schedule of what spaces will be available during each period so that we can transition to indoor if we need to.”
If construction goes according to plan, the gym will be completed by January 2025. The school as a whole, while mourning the loss of a reliable gym, is eager for new facilities.
“Obviously, we’re very excited about the new gym, but it’s a long time to wait,” Korslund said. “We’re definitely excited for 2025 when we can be back in our own gym.”
