Spring Break
Tailgating leaves field dirty and hazardous
Ryan Buchan
Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: News
Broken glass, bottle caps, ashes, charcoal and cigarette butts litter a field east of Spartan Stadium.
On this field, club, intramural and physical education athletes run, dive, slide and tackle each other.
The field is in this condition partly because it is home to tailgate parties for SJSU football games.
"It creates a hazard for my players and the opposing team we play," said Matt Caffiero, president of the SJSU men's rugby club and a junior justice studies major.
Rob Patchett, assistant director of Associated Student Campus Recreation, said he instructs the referees of intramural games to scan the field for dangerous materials before contests to reduce potential injuries.
He said he thinks his staff does a good job because many of them play intramural sports as well and are familiar with the playing conditions and that he feels he is doing the best he can do under the circumstances.
"There is no giant broken glass and charcoal vacuum, unfortunately, that exists," Patchett said.
Both Patchett and Caffiero said they have never seen a major injury due to the field conditions.
"Even if it hasn't become a huge problem yet, it is very likely it will be," said Hideki Maniwa, a senior economics major and rugby player.
Despite their knowledge of the hazards, students still participate in sports on that field.
"If I were worried, I would not be playing rugby," said Peter Brookfield, an undeclared freshman and rugby player.
Garvey Shupe, a senior occupational therapy major and also a rugby player, said he prefers the field as a tailgating site and would rather put up with poor field conditions than lose it.
"I rather risk it because I like this tailgating spot," Shupe said. "If you move this tailgating spot somewhere else, that would be lame."
Maniwa said the fields he played youth club soccer on in the East Bay were worse because of needles and other hazards that are similar to those on the SJSU intramural field.
On this field, club, intramural and physical education athletes run, dive, slide and tackle each other.
The field is in this condition partly because it is home to tailgate parties for SJSU football games.
"It creates a hazard for my players and the opposing team we play," said Matt Caffiero, president of the SJSU men's rugby club and a junior justice studies major.
Rob Patchett, assistant director of Associated Student Campus Recreation, said he instructs the referees of intramural games to scan the field for dangerous materials before contests to reduce potential injuries.
He said he thinks his staff does a good job because many of them play intramural sports as well and are familiar with the playing conditions and that he feels he is doing the best he can do under the circumstances.
"There is no giant broken glass and charcoal vacuum, unfortunately, that exists," Patchett said.
Both Patchett and Caffiero said they have never seen a major injury due to the field conditions.
"Even if it hasn't become a huge problem yet, it is very likely it will be," said Hideki Maniwa, a senior economics major and rugby player.
Despite their knowledge of the hazards, students still participate in sports on that field.
"If I were worried, I would not be playing rugby," said Peter Brookfield, an undeclared freshman and rugby player.
Garvey Shupe, a senior occupational therapy major and also a rugby player, said he prefers the field as a tailgating site and would rather put up with poor field conditions than lose it.
"I rather risk it because I like this tailgating spot," Shupe said. "If you move this tailgating spot somewhere else, that would be lame."
Maniwa said the fields he played youth club soccer on in the East Bay were worse because of needles and other hazards that are similar to those on the SJSU intramural field.
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