SANDYS Secondary Middle School will hold a special fun day tomorrow to raise money for a new sports complex that will benefit not only the school, but the entire West End.

"We are going to have the sports centre not just for the school community of Sandys, but also the wider Bermuda," physical education teacher Joyann Clarke said. "It is very badly needed in Sandys."

The fun day will include a Big S Run on the school grounds featuring some of the school's top athletes. In the Big S Run students are expected to run from eight to 20 laps.

Friends and family will pledge $20 for each lap they run. The day will also include music, drinks, snacks and other activities. Sign-in for athletes will be at 3 p.m. and the first run will start at 3.30 p.m.

Ms Clarke said the new indoor sports complex was necessary because some of the students didn't reach their athletic peak, not because of a lack of talent, but because of the weather.

"Here in Bermuda the weather is usually very unpredictable and a lot of times the athletes can't give their best because of the weather," she said. "In the winter it is cold outside and it rains a lot. The complex is very much needed at this time."

At present, students at Sandys Secondary Middle School do all their sports outdoors. The new complex will include a 25-metre swimming pool, a state-of-the-art gymnasium that will double as an auditorium, juice bar, hi-tech cardiovascular equipment, a volleyball court, a locker room and ample shower room facilities among other things.

"It is felt that the inclusion of a pool is going to add a vitally new dimension to the school's programme," Walter Roberts, co-ordinator of the Sandys Secondary Middle School Foundation, said. "The pool will be the first in an aided public school on the island. The plan is also to make the pool available to the students in the neighbouring pre-schools, and our four feeder primary schools as well."

He said an aquatics programme would be an added feature of the school curriculum.

Mr. Roberts also said the full-size gymnasium would be available to neighbourhood primary schools for gymnastic classes and would include volleyball, basketball, badminton and racquetball courts. The gym would be available after-school hours and year round to physical education teachers, coaches and instructors for fitness classes, team training, skill development, community dance classes and more.

Ms Clarke said these additions would breathe new life into school sports and activities.

"It will be good not only for our students, but also for the kids hanging around in the neighbourhood. So many of our young people are getting involved in violence because they have nothing else to do. If they have a facility they can get involved in activities and get the off the street. There will definitely be a lot of sports and things to do for them hosted at the complex."

q Please call Reginald Tucker at 234-1346 to sponsor a student in the Big S Run.