Slideshow: Two Weeks in February

Jeff Ferrell, the director of Student Activities (DSA), along with a dozen other school staff members and contributors from neighboring schools like , will have a long-lasting walkie-talkie impression somewhere on their bodies after the winter sports championship season wraps up later this week.

By the time the Rams’ staff puts its bleachers away after the opening-round state tournament basketball games on the night of March 2, they’ll have been pulling double-duty as coaches, teachers, administrators and tournament organizers since the wrestling state tournament opened on Feb. 17.

Physical Education and spring sport practices that would normally use the cavernous Harry M. Smith Field House have been displaced. Luckily for sports like baseball and softball, the weather has mostly cooperated, allowing for a week of outdoor practice that might usually take place in the batting cage at one end of the gym.

The end-of-season playoff moved across the street from a few years ago, and as one of the largest schools in the Northern Region, Robinson accommodated some of the events. Mark Martino, the Lake Braddock DSA who has been helping Ferrell and his team run the basketball tournament, said the rising cost of renting the college facilities precipitated the move.

“Robinson does a great job. We’ve hosted a lot of events at Lake Braddock … and you need to have a strong commitment from the booster club and the people who put on the event, and they have that here,” Martino said during the intermission between the boys’ semifinal games on Saturday afternoon.

Martino also noted the booster club can make plenty of money running the concession stand and feeding thousands of people during the busy stretch, which is an incentive to host major events.

Berk Stoy, the DSA from Edison, who was busy celebrating his Eagles’ first berth in the Virginia High School League state tournament in more than 40 years, said he would love for his school to host an event like the regional tournament someday, if it had the size.

“But this place—Robinson—sets up great. You’ve got the student sections ... nobody has a bad seat in the house,” he said.

Terri Towle, the DSA at Westfield, appreciates what Robinson is going through, since the Bulldogs are in the midst of a six-year stretch hosting the spring state championship events. She was in the building watching her boys’ team defeat McLean to qualify for the state tournament.

“Over two weeks, they’re hosting the regular-season basketball games, the state wrestling, and this place was packed for that. To just turn right around and host one of the largest events in the Northern Region over four different nights—you have to have a very supportive [community],” she said.

With thousands of coaches, players, fans administrators, media personnel and more descending on the campus, those involved must have an incredible amount of patience, Towle said.

“It’s a chance for you to showcase your facility, and you’re representing Fairfax County,” Towle added.

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