Letter from Mary Jane Sansevere

Policy Change Is Misguided

I am writing to express my deep disappointment and frankly, my disgust, with the Clark Sports Center’s new policy banning children under the age of 12 from using the facility unless accompanied by an adult. This abrupt decision, made on an ordinary Tuesday with no notice, no explanation, and no consideration for the community the center claims to serve, is unacceptable.

For generations, and even long before the current building was constructed, the Clark Sports Center has been a place where children and teens could learn, grow, and gain a sense of independence. Middle school-age children are learning to navigate the world, test their independence and manage social situations without adults hovering over them. Taking away that opportunity does not “protect” them. It shelters them to the point of harm.

Yes, there are certainly some children who do need closer supervision. Every community has kids who require more guidance, and that is understandable. But this does not include all children under the age of 12. School-age children should be perfectly capable of accessing and enjoying a community gym with clear expectations in place. Punishing an entire age group for the behavior of a few is neither fair nor logical. It’s lazy leadership and policy.

What makes this new policy even more concerning is that children in our community are increasingly funneled into highly structured after-school programs with little to no room for free choice. After spending hours in school, they deserve at least a bit of autonomy. Now, even the one place where they could unwind, be with friends, and navigate age-appropriate social situations on their own has been taken away from them. If the goal is to help children grow into confident, capable young adults, this is absolutely the wrong direction.

And it raises a fair question: What exactly is the director doing to support the youth of this community? The Clark Sports Center has always been more than a gym; it has been the backbone of Cooperstown. A place where families gathered, where kids built friendships, where the next generation learned and grew. We should be encouraging children to come, not chasing them away. We should be attracting young families to our town, not sending them the message that their children are an inconvenience.

This decision sends a clear and disheartening message: Children are no longer welcome. And if that is truly the direction the leadership wants to go, then I hope they are prepared for the long-term consequences. A community cannot survive if it refuses to invest in its own future. When today’s children grow up and today’s adults are no longer here to uphold these rigid policies, who exactly do they expect will be left?

If the Clark Sports Center has expectations for the children it serves, then it needs to enforce those expectations, not eliminate the children. I urge leadership to reconsider this misguided policy and restore the trust, freedom, and access that families in our area have relied on for generations.

Mary Jane Sansevere
Cooperstown

Editor’s Note: The letter from Clark Sports Center Director David Fontaine to members regarding recent changes to the CSC’s “Unaccompanied Children Facility Super-vision Policy 2025,” dated November 6, is as follows:

Dear Members,

As we head into the upcoming school breaks and eventually camp season, we want to share an important update regarding youth supervision at the Clark Sports Center.

While we’re proud to be a welcoming space for families and youth, we’ve seen an increase in younger children being dropped off without adult supervision, especially on days when school is closed due to holidays or weather, and during camp season when sports camps only run for half the day. To ensure a safe and well-managed environment for everyone, we are updating our policy on unaccompanied youth.

Effective immediately, youth must be at least 12 years old to be at the Sports Center without a parent or responsible adult. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times while in the facility.
Please note that this change does not affect our structured and supervised after-school programming, which will continue as usual. Additionally, we want to clarify that a 12-year-old sibling does not qualify as a responsible adult for younger children.

We appreciate your support as we prioritize the safety and experience of all our members.

For your reference, details of the update are included with this memo.

Thanks.

David Fontaine
Director, Clark Sports Center