It is no mystery that PAHS has a large variety of sports available to its students. From football and basketball to swimming and tennis, the athletic department has done a good job of providing for the diverse strengths of its athletes. However, there are some popular sports that the school does not offer. Over the years, several sports have become the topic of speculation among students, and whether these sports will be incorporated in the future is yet to be decided.

One of the most popular sports that PAHS does not offer is hockey of any variety, be it field or ice. The reason ice hockey is not available is obviously the lack of an ice rink, but field hockey may be possible in the future. While the area lacks a specific field designated for hockey, either the football field or soccer field could be used for both practicing and games. The equipment would not be any more expensive than that of any other new sport.

“I would like to see hockey as a part of PAHS,” junior Collin Herndon said. “Of the four major sports (baseball, basketball, hockey and football), hockey is the only sport which we do not have. It would open up new opportunities to students. Some students at Pottsville already play hockey in a recreation league, so why wouldn’t we have a team to represent the school?”

Another popular choice for a potential new sport is lacrosse. While generally more popular in New York and the Midwest, lacrosse is well-known as a summer/fall sport throughout the country. While it seems less likely to be added than hockey in the foreseeable future, lacrosse would still suffice as a new sport on PAHS’ list of athletic activities.

“Lacrosse would be a great sport to add to PAHS,” junior Madison Garland said. “I believe many [students] would get involved in [lacrosse]. It would give more opportunities to high school students.”

While there are several other sports that would be beneficial to the school, lacrosse and hockey are the two most likely to be included that this school does not already have.

“I’d love to add as many sports as possible; the problem is finances,” Mr. Eric Rismiller, athletic director, said. “Another problem is that we’d need new fields … We have track, football and basketball, but we cannot afford new fields, again, back to finances. We would love to add lacrosse, but that requires turf that we can’t afford.”

Perhaps through the efforts of the student body and faculty, these sports can become a reality, but for now, they are simply dreams.